Paint and Wall Coverings

From Thomas Jefferson Wiki

Contents

Book Room, Cabinet, and Jefferson's Bedchamber

There is evidence that Jefferson's private chambers - the Book Room, Annex, Cabinet, and Bedchamber - were originally wallpapered, but unfortunately there is not sufficient evidence for reproductions. The walls in these rooms have been painted a neutral color, called "Oyster White." This color was custom-mixed for Monticello.

Dining Room

The blue in the Dining Room is not an original color, nor does it date to Jefferson's ownership of Monticello. The room was originally just plaster, then had an application of a "chrome yellow" oil paint sometime after 1815, and was then papered in some yet unidentified pattern. We believe the blue was applied sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century.

North Octagonal Room

The trellis-patterned wallpaper in the North Octagonal Room was manufactured by F. Schumacher & Co.[1] in the early 1990's as part of their Colonial Williamsburg Collection.

North Square Room

The North Square Room, which is not presently part of public tours of Monticello, was originally a chrome yellow, and was later wallpapered. Until recently it was unpainted plaster. In early 2008, it was repainted its original chrome yellow color.

Primary Source References on Lead Based Paint

1804 June 20. (Jefferson to Gibson & Jefferson). "I enclose...a statement of...the following items from Philadelphia: 4. kegs white lead."[2]

1804 December 2. "1. lb. giving 1. coat to 10. yards will require 424. to ever Cwt 3. galls. oil 127 galls. oil 2. galls. turpentine 85. galls. turpentine lb. 424 white lead unground @ 13.D. Cwt. 127. galls. linseed oil @ 1.20 85. do. spirtis turpentine @.50..."[3]

1805 May 2. (Jefferson to John Taggert). "I take the liberty of requesting you to purchase for me 500 lbs. of unground white lead, and to ship the same by the first opportunity to Richmond."[4]

1805 November 9. (Jefferson to John Taggert). "I have occasion for the articles of oil, paint, &c. below mentioned...40. galls. of linseed oil...600. lb white lead, dry..."[5]

1806 October 13. (Jefferson to John Taggert). "Procure for me the articles below mentioned, and to send them to Richmond...1. tierce of linseed oil, say 44. galls. 250 lb. of unground white lead..."[6]

1807 October 12. (Jefferson to John Taggert). "Ask the favor of you to procure for me a barrel (say about 30. gallons) of linseed oil, and 200. lb. of dry white lead, and to request that they may be immediately forwarded to Richmond."[7]

1809 January 26. (Edmund Bacon to Jefferson). "Nb. Burrill tells me you was to send some spanish Brown and oil for painting which he wants he says he has used 300 pounds white lead on the top of the house and that did not Give one Coat. He also says he will need 50 or 100 pounds dry lead burrill says it will take 60 Gallons of Oil."[8]

1809 February 10. (Mr. Dalzel to Jefferson). "I have taken the liberty of forwarding a sample of I believe the first White Lead ever manufactured in the U. States."[9]

1809 February 15. (Jefferson to John Taggert). "Send for me to Messrs. Gibson & Jefferson at Richmond, 60 galls. linseed oil, and 100. lb. of dry white lead."[10]

1817 February 22. (David Higginbotham to Jefferson). "Some time ago you said you had some idea of painting your house again, we have now on hand the [best?] English white Lead and Spanish brown ground in oil in quarter kegs, its price will be $4 1/2 p keg for the former and $3 p keg for the latter..."[11]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ F. Schumacher and Co. http://www.fschumacher.com
  2. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/findingaids/doc.cfm?fa=fa0031
  3. ↑ Ibid.
  4. ↑ Ibid.
  5. ↑ Ibid.
  6. ↑ Ibid.
  7. ↑ Ibid.
  8. ↑ Ibid.
  9. ↑ Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/
  10. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/findingaids/doc.cfm?fa=fa0031
  11. ↑ Ibid.
Retrieved from "http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Paint_and_Wall_Coverings"