Pilaster

Object Name:

Pilaster

Object ID:

1963.029.11

Date:

circa 1805

Description:

Pilaster strip from fireplace, c. 1805. Two English half columns; rectangular panels and urns. Medium brown soft wood. Large flat rectangular backboard. Two columns of capital and urn fastened to backboard. Base of columns 4.1" from bottom edge of board. Area below column unpainted. Edges of backboard painted to within 0.8" at bottom and 1.7" at top. Columns 23.8" long, 2.2" diameter at base, 2.1" diameter at top. Cylindrical base with cove leading to bead, then slightly-swelled column tapering to another bead and another cove, then another cylindrical section. At top of column the bottom of bead is 2". At bottom, top of bead, 1.8" from bottom edge. Column diameter below top bead, 1.35". At bottom, it is 1.55". At its widest near bottom, column 1.8" diameter. At top of column, capital 5.3" high, 4.7" wide. Rectangular area at bottom of this, 3.3" high, 4.7" wide. Three smaller, sunken beads inside one another that lead to small rectangular plane. Corners mitered. Top 2" of capital is bare wood where some type of decorative molding was removed on front and sides. Above that, 7.7" high urn assembly. Cylindrical base, cove that leads to expanded platform with a curved edge. Above that, tapering urn-shape, with tapered neck above it leading to flat, rounded cap. Ten narrow, elliptical grooves around base of urn that lead upward. Above them, two swag grooves. Above that, two narrow grooves below top edge of urn. Urn diameter at widest: 3.8". Unpainted band around top edge above urn, 1.7" high. On capital, missing decoration covers small rectangular, recessed area with couple partial framework sections of three different-sized beads joining each other. Similar to painted beads in opened area below this exposed space. Split and exposed areas of backboard on right side near center. On left side near bottom, area about 3" high split out and broken off by brute force. About 10 nails exposed on back of artifact. Top edge of backboard, rough-sawn. Bottom edge of backboard, cleaned, sawn, and smooth. Back surface of backboard is milled and smooth. Some pencil writing on back: "From a fireplace ? / Where?" In another area: "Very old / Probably hand carved".

Material:

Wood

Dimensions:

H-43.1 W-4.6 D-2.9 inches Weight-66.05 oz

Credit Line:

Gift of Eleanor Marshall

Subjects:

Architectural & site components, Architectural decorations & ornaments, Pilasters