Philip Poburka on tue 21 nov 00
I am presently building a sort-of 'Arts and Crafts' style set of Cabinets
for a Kitchen and an adjoining room.
I designed them with the intention of having delicate extruded 'moldings' in
an old encaustic pale ('sage') Green sort of color.
As, the 'Lower' Cabinets have a (wood)'thumbnail' molding for their top
edge, just below that a small 'cove' in ceramic.
And the 'upper' Cabinets have at their top, a sort of elongate (wood)Cove,
with then a slender 'bead' in ceramic beneath.
The pale Green against a sort of roan(...or medium orange-ish Brown) White
Oak.
I have never seen this done, tho' I suppose it must have been 'done'
somewhere...here or there, sometime. It is such a nice idea.
I would be curious to know if anyone has any familiarity with anything like
this, where 'moldings' of Ceramic were used in Furniture. I would like to
see what else may have happened, or be happening in this regard.
Philip
In a snug (pre Strontium-ninety) sweater
(that has the hint of moth balls...)
in chilly
lvnev land...
Has anyone
Janet Kaiser on tue 21 nov 00
Dear Philip
I have seen wonderful coving, beading and other
ceramic edging in the UK and Europe, especially
Germany and the Netherlands. If you are ever in
London, visit the Food Hall in Harrods,
Knightsbridge for an awesome example of late
19th century tiling, designed by William Morris
and made by Royal Doulton (if I remember
rightly).
What I have seen still in use, mostly dates from
the Arts & Crafts era with amazing Art Nouveau
patterns and designs. Sadly much is being
destroyed because new hygiene rules prohibit the
use of ceramics in food serving and preparation
environments. It is not the ceramics, but the
grout which holds bacteria, so the traditional
use of tiles in butcher's, fish monger's and
cafés is now a very rare thing to see. Depending
on the activity of local health and safety
officers and inspectors, much has been replaced
with plastic!
This compounds the losses incurred during the
1950s and 60s when people were "modernising"
with gusto. Ripping out whole walls and rooms
full of 18th-19th century and even earlier Delft
and Maiolica tiling... The tiny percentage which
survived removal can be bought individually and
at great cost in specialist and antique shops.
Too sad.
Also, in our Age of the Clumsy Clods, ceramic
edges get chipped and badly damaged, especially
on working surfaces, shelves, etc. That is
presumably why wooden edges have replaced tiles.
Also quicker and easier to install in our "Time
is money" Age.
The only contemporary ceramic beading I have
seen recently, has been for use in bathrooms and
kitchens for adding as a decorative element
along the top of the wall tiles. Commercially
produced, so quite soft and not very useful for
working areas. There are also tiles which can be
used as a dado rather than wooden beading.
Whereas earlier tiles were stoneware, these
modern ones are all low-fired and made of
pressed clay, usually powdered.
Our fireplace has moulded tiles as the surround
on the floor. But I date these around 1930 and
much inferior in quality. They are badly pitted
and cracked, but this is probably counted as
"extreme use"... Not only the heat from the open
fire, but pokers, coal scuttles, wood blocks,
bellows, etc are all helping to knock the tiles
around. Or rather clumsy users of said are,
including moi.
Of course there are still makers in Germany and
Austria who make "Kachelofen". These are ovens
and fires which heat rooms. Made of heat
resistant tiles shaped to cover the entire
firebox, they are thankfully coming back into
fashion. They come in all shapes and sizes.
Bevelled around edges too. Also ceramic columns
and brackets for seating.
I wish you luck with your enterprise... Sounds
great. Just sorry I cannot help any further with
practicalities.
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
> I am presently building a sort-of 'Arts and
Crafts' style set of Cabinets
> for a Kitchen and an adjoining room.
Janet Kaiser on sat 25 nov 00
Hi Gayle
Yes, it is a great shame. Sadly removing and
replacing grout is not an option on really old
tiles... They were so tightly packed. No
appreciable gaps for grout, but obviously a
little space for bacteria to lurk and multiply.
The wide spacing of modern tiles is quite new. I
often wonder if it was introduced by the
adhesive and grouting manufacturers? But then I
have dark thoughts on many things!
When we crossed over the newly opened border
from East to West Germany, we went to stay with
friends in Halle. There we saw a shop which had
survived both W.W.II and the socialist regime.
It was a little corner shop and was tiled from
top to bottom in Jugendstil (Art Nouveau)! It
was shut down and ready for "renovation". I bet
the tiling was all ripped out... Also the
Victorian style, slightly bowed windows, ornate
wooden door and mahogany shelving. Too sad.
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
Best regards
Janet
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
> I am saddened to hear about the destruction of
the
> tiled areas in food preparation areas because
of the grout
> bacteria problem.
> Here in the US there is now a grout that is
epoxy based.
> I'll bet that is a solution to the bacteria
problem.
> It is pretty new so is expensive but I would
think it is still
> cheaper than ripping out beautiful tiles and
replacing with
> some crap like fiberglass.
> It certainly would be a more
> aesthetic and historical solution.
>
> Gayle Bair- turkey in the oven, and other
goodies made and waiting
> for tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal with 12
members of my wonderfully
> culturally diverse family. Happy Thanksgiving!
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