Before & After ~ Carved mantel detail in the Ebenezer Alden House, Union, Maine.
This Federal style house was built by carpenter and wood carver Ebenezer Alden for himself and his family in 1797, shortly after he completed the carved ornamentation for General Henry Knox’s mansion Montpelier in nearby Thomaston. It remained in the Alden family until the 1970s, through Victorian-era alterations and 20th-century neglect.
In the mid-1970s, the house was purchased by antique collectors Joe and Hazel Marcus and restored by them. As seen in the before photo, all of the wood trim in the house had been painted many times, obscuring the finely carved detail Alden had created in several rooms. The after photo by David Clough shows a detail of the south parlor mantel after multiple layers of paint were stripped to expose it. It was repainted in the original color.
The Alden House is one of 13 featured houses presented between the how-to chapters of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.” The houses date from c. 1760 to 1957 and range geographically from Maine to Santa Fe, NM. They were all photographed by noted architectural photographer David Clough for the book.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our shop, YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Select preservation titles by other authors are also available in our shop! Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book Combo Packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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