Lincoln Discussion Symposium

I'll guess an attempt to make $$$ with an auction in Springfield.

Right city, Mike, but not an auction.

Best
Rob

Oldroyd's display while living in the Lincolns' Springfield home?

Laurie is correct. This was the result of Osborne Oldroyd's living in Lincoln's house in Springfield. Shortly after this photo was taken Oldroyd was thrown out and he moved to the Petersen House in DC.

Best
Robn

Where was this photo taken?

The Edward's? The plant is interesting, I don't remember seeing many plants in 19th century parlors.

Excellent, Eva! Kudos. Yes, it is the Edwards' parlor where the Lincolns were married on November 4, 1842.

(10-31-2019 08:52 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: [ -> ]The Edward's? The plant is interesting, I don't remember seeing many plants in 19th century parlors.

I agree with Eva about the plants. Any date on the photo? If I remember correctly, indoor plants did not become popular until the late-Victorian era. Before that, many folks thought that the plants were unhealthy, stealing air from the room. Of course, you have some of the rich wigs that had orangery rooms in their mansions back in the Federal era.

Here is a photo that is a little clearer. I do not recall seeing a date for this photo, but I shall look.

Could the lamp hanging for the ceiling be an electric one? Doesn't look like gas or candlelight to me.
As for the plants being unhealthy is certainly right in some way, soil containing lots of bacteria and possibly mold and mold spores, which is why plant aren't allowed in hospitals. My thinking however was that people back then found plants as animals rather something essentially functional, nothing to "pet" or tend to or care for for mere pleasure the same way we use to today.

(10-31-2019 12:01 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: [ -> ]Could the lamp hanging for the ceiling be an electric one?

It's possible as the home was not torn down until 1917.

(10-31-2019 03:30 PM)RJNorton Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-31-2019 12:01 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: [ -> ]Could the lamp hanging for the ceiling be an electric one?

It's possible as the home was not torn down until 1917.

I'm inclined to go with a gas chandelier, but it is hard to determine anything with the photo being "distant" and the color so white. The fireplace insert looks like a Franklin stove - need to find out when they became part of homes. The tufted armchair reminds me of ca. 1880-1900, but I'm guessing.

Laurie, it looks to me that the lamp shades "go down" (like in the left pic, couldn't find a better one) instead of up (second pic):
[attachment=3147] [attachment=3148] [attachment=3149]
Would that (down) be possible with gas? I've only seen the "up version" with gas.

The fixture globes look upturned to me. Many such gas chandeliers were converted to electric, running the electric wires inside the former gas tubing. Based on all that I can see, I think it's a gas chandelier circa 1900.

(11-01-2019 10:30 AM)Dennis Urban Wrote: [ -> ]The fixture globes look upturned to me. Many such gas chandeliers were converted to electric, running the electric wires inside the former gas tubing. Based on all that I can see, I think it's a gas chandelier circa 1900.

They look upturned to me also and maybe not wide enough to hold an electrical bulb? Between family pieces from the late-1800s and flea-market finds ca. early-1900s of my late mother-in-law, I have seen gas lamps with upturned shades and down turned ones. If I remember correctly the newer pieces that were down turned had a sort of white cone over the actual gas jet.

P.S. Forget my question about the Franklin stove. I should have known that it was invented by Big Ben in the colonial days and was probably out of use after the Civil War?