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200 year old tiles

updated fri 6 jun 03

 

John Rodgers on thu 5 jun 03


I have had in my posession for 15 years or so, four boxes of 200 year
old tiles, that once belonged to my Mother.

These tiles were taken from a fireplace hearth and given to my mother
many years ago when an antebellum home was dismantled in Montgomery,
Alabama to make way for Interstate 80 construction through the city. My
Mother owned, operated and taught in a private school and had as an
elementary school student the daughter of one of the senior members of
the crew that dismantled the house. The girls father recovered the
tiles, made a table, finished the table top with the tiles, and gave the
table to my mother as a gift of thanks for the help my Mother had given
his daughter, who was having learning problems.

After many years, the table structure was damaged, and the table
eventually set aside. When my Mother passed away, and things were being
cleaned out, I found that damaged table, determined it to be
non-reparable, but the tiles were intact. I removed them and stored
them. All of this happened long before I got interested in clay.

Now, I would like to get those tiles out and do something with them. If
anyone in the Clayart community has any ideas or suggestions as to how
to put these tiles to good use, I really would like to hear about it.
The tiles are about 4"X6", and are solid colors, - black, brick red
(near terra cotta) , white, with a matte finish.

Thanks so much for any input on this.

Regards to all,

John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL