Open Old Books

The Story of the House, by Henry Loomis Curtis

Whole book · 5 sections

THE ✠​ STORY ✠​ OF ✠​ THE ✠​ HOUSE BEING SOME SUGGESTIONS IN BRICK-WORK FROM THE CATALOGUE OF O.W. KETCHAM, WHOSE OFFICE IS IN THE BUILDERS’ EXCHANGE OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Transcriber’s Note:

The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

I would have, then, our ordinary dwelling-houses built to last and built to be lovely; as rich and full of pleasantness as may be within and without: ✠✠✠✠ with such differences as might suit and express each man’s character and occupation, and partly his history.

“Seven Lamps of Architecture”
Ruskin
“The crowded line of masons with trowels in their right hands, rapidly laying the long side-wall
The flexible rise and fall of backs, the continual click of the trowels striking the bricks,
The bricks, one after another, each laid so workmanlike in its place, and set with a knock of the trowel handle”
“Song of the Broad Axe”
Walt Whitman.
Copyright,
1899 by
Orman
Wesley
Ketcham
ILLUSTRATED AND ARRANGED BY HENRY LOOMIS CURTIS WITH QUOTATIONS CULLED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES PRINTED BY EDWARD STERN AND CO., INCORPORATED PHILADELPHIA 1899 FROM PLATES MADE BY THE PHOTO-CHROMOTYPE ENGRAVING CO.

CONTENTS

PART ONE
The Story of the House
PART TWO
Moulded Brick Forms
PART THREE
Terra-cotta Fire-proof Materials
A FOREWORD

It is the purpose in issuing this brochure to give simply a few suggestions of what may be accomplished by the use of plain and moulded brick. Here and there some of the parts such as consoles, pier caps, and carved portions, are of a necessity made either of terra-cotta or stone; but as this is a perfectly legitimate combination they are here used.

The brick forms shown in Part Two are only suggestive of the various shapes in use, as the requirements of architectural design develop an unlimited number of forms. The facilities are such that any desired shape or size may be made.

Part One The Story of the House — ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRATIONS
I—The Entrance Gates Page 3
   
II—Ye Hospitable Porch 5
   
III—The Hall Fire-place 7
   
IV—An Ingle-Nook 9
   
V—The Library Window 13
   
VI—My Lady’s Casement 15
   
VII—Amid Gables and Dormers 17
   
VIII—Among the Chimney-tops 19
   
IX—The Loggia and Terrace 21
   
X—The Garden Sun-dial and Exedra 23
1 THE STORY OF THE HOUSE
O fortunate, O happy day,
When a new household finds its place
Among the myriad homes of earth,
Like a new star just sprung to birth,
And rolled on its harmonious way
Into the boundless realms of space.
“The Hanging of the Crane”
Longfellow.
2Met, where the guardian wall is wound,
So subtly are our eyes beguiled
We see not nor suspect a bound.
No more than in some forest wild;
The sight is free as air—or crost
Only by art in nature lost.
“A Flower Garden”
Wordsworth.
3 “Where gates should open, or where walls should compass.”
4“To thy cool shadows, and to thee,
When thou to birds dost shelter give,
Thou music dost from them receive;
If travellers beneath thee stay
Till storms have worn themselves away,
That time in praising thee they spend,
And thy protecting power commend.”
Lady Winchilsea
5 And the broad arching portals welcome thy entering.
6“How beautiful is this house! The atmosphere
Breathes rest and comfort and the many chambers
Seem full of welcomes.”
“The Masque of Pandora”
Longfellow.
7 “There is no place more delightful than one’s own fireside.”
8“Shut in from all the world without,
We sat the clean-winged hearth about,
Content to let the north-wind roar
In baffled rage at pane and door,
While the red logs before us beat
The frost-line back with tropic heat;
And ever when a louder blast
Shook beam and rafter as it passed,
The merrier up its roaring draught
The great throat of the chimney laughed,
9 “While the red logs before us beat The frost-line back with tropic heat;”
10The house dog on his paws outspread
Laid to the fire his drowsy head,
The cat’s dark silhouette on the wall
A couchant tiger’s seemed to fall;
And for the winter fireside meet,
Between the andiron’s straddling feet,
11
The mug of cider simmered slow,
The apples sputtered in a row,
And close at hand, the basket stood
With nuts from brown October’s wood.”
“Snow-Bound”
Whittier.
12“Oh for a booke and a shadie nooke,
Eyther in doore or out;
With the grene leaves whispering overhead
Or the streete cryes all about.
Where I maie read all at my ease,
Both of the newe and old;
For a jollie goode booke whereon to looke,
Is better to me than golde.”
Old English Song
13 Where I maie read all at my ease
14“In yon red gable,
Which the rose creeps round and o’er, your casement shines
Against the yellow west.”
“Good-night in the Porch”
Owen Meredith.
15 “But under them a sunny garden lay:”—
16“It was a pleasant mansion, an abode
Near and yet hidden from the great highroad,
Sequestered among trees, a noble pile,
Baronial and colonial in its style;
Gables and dormer-windows everywhere.”
“Lady Wentworth”
Longfellow.
17 “Gables and dormer-windows everywhere.”
18“First in the dusky dawn he sends abroad
His early scout, his emissary, smoke,
The earliest, latest pilgrim from his roof,
To feel the frosty air;”—
Thoreau
19 “Sir, he made a chimney in my father’s house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it.”
20“The sunbeams dropped
Their gold, and, passing in porch and niche,
Softened to shadows, silvery pale, and dim,
As if the very Day paused and grew Eve.”
“Light of Asia.”
Edwin Arnold.
21 “And, passing in porch and niche, Softened to shadows.”—
22“Horas non nurmero nisi serenas.”
“Only the sunny hours
Are numbered here,—
No winter-time that lowers,
No twilight drear.
But from a golden sky
When sun-beams fall,
Though the bright moments fly,—
They’re counted all.”
“The Sun Dial”
Stedman.
23 “Only the sunny hours are numbered here.”
24 HERE ENDETH PART ONE

Part Two Moulded Brick Forms

25
26 “This vast ball, the Earth, was moulded out of clay and baked in fire.” “Michael Angelo” Longfellow.
27 CLAY PRODUCTS

While these suggestions are mainly to illustrate the use of moulded brick, they but partially represent the line carried, as all clay products known to the trade are handled, such as:—

Ornamental Terra-Cotta,
Hollow Tile Fire-Proofing,
Terra-Cotta Roof Tile,
Fancy and Moulded Front Brick,
Enameled Brick,
Paving Brick,
Fire Brick, &c.

If you do not find what you desire among these sketches possibly it may be found among the moulds at the factory, or if not, such will be made if ordered in sufficient quantity. All known colors and effects, including the ordinary red pressed shapes, can be obtained.

28 RELATIVE SIZES OF BRICKS:—“_Short Roman_” is standard length, Roman thickness, “_Flemish_” is Standard length on each side, “_Norman_” is Roman length, Standard thickness.
29 HEADER PROFILES:—Starters, stops, external and internal angles, and mitres made where required.
30 HEADER PROFILES:—continued.
31 HEADER PROFILES:—continued.
32 RADII, ANGLE AND PIER BRICK:—No. 224 = 12″ Radius No. 225 = 15″ Radius No. 230 = 3′-0″ Radius No. 232 = 4′-0″ Radius No. 112, 119, 140, 218 bond with themselves in forming columns or piers.
33 STRETCHER PROFILES:—External and internal angles, and mitres made where required. No.’s 370, 371, 376, & 378 may be used for pilasters.
34 BASE MOULDINGS:—External and internal angles made. These forms maybe used in cornices and string courses.
35 BASE MOULDINGS:—continued.
36 SILL BRICK:—for window sills, sill courses, wall copings, &c. “A” suggestion for wide sills.
37 SILL BLOCK AND COPING BRICK.
38 JAMB BRICK:—for window and door openings. Special construction made for flat lintels. Mitres made where required.
39 JAMB BRICK:—continued.
40 REEDED AND FLVTED BRICK:—For bands and string courses, and pilasters; External & internal angles, starters & stops made. #430 for pilaster necks and cornices.
41 DIAMOND PATTERNS:—Adapted for string courses, ornamental bands, and as a field for large surfaces.
42 ORNAMENTAL BRICK.
43 PANEL BLOCKS:—may be used for bands, diaper-work, friezes, and ornamental effects.
44 HERE ENDETH PART TWO

Part Three Terra-Cotta Fire-Proof Materials

45
46 '

“Houses are built to live in, not to look on, therefore, let use be preferred before uniformity, except where both may be had.” “Essays—of Building” Bacon'

47 FIRE-PROOFING

It is no longer a question of experiment:—that of thoroughly protecting iron and steel structural work. Terra-cotta has proved itself superior to all other materials in use, in maintaining its original position during fire, thereby thoroughly protecting the structural work, as has been demonstrated at recent conflagrations. The forms in general use are floor arches, partition blocks, column and girder coverings, furring tile, ceiling and roofing blocks; while special forms can be made when required. Estimates for the furnishing of material, either delivered or erected, will be given; also full information in regard to plans or specifications if desired.

48 FLOOR ARCHES:—“A” segmental arch; “B” & “C” flat arches—“C” regular side construction; “B” end construction, lighter in weight than other forms and carries a heavier floor load.
49 Partition Blocks, & Girder Coverings:—Made of any desired size or thickness, either hard or porous, and scored for plaster unless otherwise ordered.
50 Furring Tile:—for exterior walls. Made in blocks as shown at “A” and separated at building—of any desired thickness, hard or porous, scored or smooth.
51 Book Tile:—for Roof and Ceiling construction. Made 3″ thick 12″ wide and in lengths up to 24″. Special sizes made if ordered in sufficient quantity.
52 Column Coverings:—Circular or Elliptical, of size or thickness to suit requirements, hard or porous, scored unless otherwise ordered.
53 Column Coverings:—Square, octagonal, or any flat sided shape. Conditions same as stated previously.
54
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
  1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling.
  2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.
  3. Replaced poetry illustrated drop caps with bold large red characters.