Westwood
Gothic
Gothic Revival Reproduction circa 1845
We've
Gone National!
In the "Classic
American Home" magazine, February/March 2001 issue, a feature article
on Gothic wallpapers, Gothic Gallery, illustrates our "Westwood
Gothic" wallpaper mentioning the 1845 Fisher School as its source. If
wallpaper is sold through Waterhouse Wallhangings, we receive a royalty as
agreed in our contract with Waterhouse.
Westwood Gothic by
Waterhouse is a Gothic Revival reproduction, circa 1845.
History on finding the
original 1845 Fisher School Wallpaper.
A large,
floor-to-ceiling wooden vent that had been installed in 1882 to prevent
carbon monoxide from building up in the classroom was removed for
restoration. A large piece of original wallpaper with a Boston maker's
name on the side, Josiah F. Bumstead, was discovered behind the vent. When
the school was papered again in subsequent years, the air vent was not
removed. They papered up to it, not behind it. How fortunate that this
piece showing the original design was preserved and hidden from the fading
sun! The unique Gothic arch design of this paper, composed of a
four-colored pattern of three arches and a decorative column, was
reproduced by an artist, one arch being reconstructed. An interesting
development occurred in reproducing the wallpaper. A flaw was discovered
in the paper and there arose a dilemma of whether to reproduce the flaw or
to take it out of the design. The experts from SPNEA and the Waterhouse
Wallhangings disagreed. The decision was to reproduce the flaw as in the
original wallpaper, but not in the reconstructed arch. The silk screens
were then made, the printing of the paper completed under the direction of
Waterhouse Wallhangings, Inc. and the reproduced paper hung over a paper
liner base. The wallpaper called "Westwood Gothic" is available
through Waterhouse Wallhangings, Inc. with a small royalty benefiting the
Westwood Historical Society. Since the schoolhouse was originally
wallpapered with such a classic pattern, West Dedham must have placed a
high value on education for its children.
email: www.westwoodhistorical@hotmail.com
