Wallpaper-A good hang!

Lecture at Old York Historical Society

The Emerson Wallpaper: From York, Maine to Mount Vernon

Thanks to an invite from Helen Corbett Jones, Programs and Events Coordinator, I was thrilled to be able to attend a fascinating lecture given by Peggy Wishart. She is the Research Center Director at the Old York Historical Society. Photo below shows the faded original panel on right and the reproduction by Adelphi Paper Hangings to the left.

The original wallpaper was selected by Edward and Abigail Emerson for their parlor room in the late 1790's. Luckily the family members of the Emerson House in York being keen preservationist at heart, had the great foresight to salvage the wallpaper hung in the family estate during a 1950's home renovation. According to the Adelphi website, colorways consisting of bright oranges and reds on a light blue ground were not at all uncommon at the time and were inspired, in part, by recent discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum. 

The reproduction of this late 18^th century wallpaper was recently commissioned by the curators at George Washington’s Mount Vernon to adorn the President’s Bedchamber.   Since fragments of Washington's original wallcovering were not sufficient in size or detail to determine a pattern, this one, from the French firm of Réveillon, Jaquemart, et Bénard was chosen. Unlike some of Réveillon’s earlier arabesques, which were abundantly populated with all manner of classical elements, the Emerson Arabesque offers a structured yet airy sense of order.

I found this lecture especially insightful and inspiring especially since I have long carried wallpapers from Farrow and Ball. Farrow & Ball wallpapers are handcrafted in Dorset, England, using traditional block and trough printing methods with the company's own richly pigmented, water-based paints rather than ink. They are printed on high-quality, sustainably sourced paper, producing a tactile finish where each roll is unique. The process includes coating the paper with a base color, letting it dry, and then applying patterns.

Like the Emerson House/Mount Vernon time period, five patterns uncovered at Château de Purnon in France and brought to life by Farrow & Ball — these are The Purnon Papers. Inspired by those who lived, and reveled, at the French château in its heyday, the original patterns have been lovingly redesigned in five unique colorways to complement homes of all shapes and sizes. Each roll is handcrafted in signature Farrow & Ball fashion, using traditional techniques, the finest paper and F&B's very own paint.

View our Farrow and Ball Wallpaper offerings in store (open daily) or online at Signature Finishes.

Thanks for reading about this week's tales...

Best,

Maureen