The stone mason has started setting the new piers along the porch line.  Another homage to the old pioneer who made do with what the land provided, our stones were collected locally from the surrounding fields and forests. The pioneers also used large old growth cedar wedges for house supports when stones were not readily available. We believe these are Broxton Rocks, 

Broxton Rock is the single largest exposure of sandstone, about 4 miles in extent, found in the Altamaha Grit, a subterranean band of sandstone that lies under some 15,000 square miles of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

BUILT WITH OLD GROWTH HEART PINE 

Now recessed within the door frame, Relic Pine redesigned the custom shutters for the kitchen and dining room entrances. Now, when opened, they'll rest flush against the wall (out of the way). Hinges will be given a faux bois (Foe-BWAH) treatment to simulate forged iron. 

Next our historic building materials specialist will make repairs to the kitchen floor by strengthening the joist system and preparing the electrical interface.

The Mississippian Period dates from about 1000 AD to 1600 AD. In Southern Georgia and Florida we typically associate this epoc with the Lamar Culture. These highly advanced Native Americans lived in more centralized villages within larger politically driven city-states. Dependant upon a vast trade network that spanned North and Central America, their daily life was more localized and sedentary. Their social structure has become characterized by great earthen ceremonial mounds, and ellaborate forms of pottery.

Reproduced to scale from an original museum artifact by a Georgia artist, this conch effigy bowl or ladle was believed to have been originally associated with the Black Drink Ceremony; a yearly clensing ritual where copious amounts of Cassena Tea (Yaupon Holly) was consumed by the leadership class.  The Yaupon Holly is the only plant native to the Southeast that contains caffeine. The vessel's length is 10 1/2 inches and its width 8 inches at the widest point.  It is constructed from local clays and was fired in an open kiln.

The Conch was added to Relic Pine's Americana Collection in 2021.

Bill Glass has won over 50 awards in his time as a renowned Native artist, and his skill with ceramics has never ceased to astonish. He received degrees in Art Education from Central Oklahoma State University in 1973 and the Institute of Native American Indian Arts in 1975.

He is best known for his pottery, though his sculptural works have won him much acclaim. This Southeastern Ceremonial Complex motif inspired vase is an excellent example of what true art and authenticity look like, and is nothing less than a connection to the Cherokee tribe through Bill's hands. 9 1/2" diameter 12 1/2" tall. The vase is signed by the artist.

This rare example of Bill Glass' work was purchased by the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds State Park Museum (Macon, Georgia) in 1995 where it remained on display in their gift shop.  The subject of several magazine publications, the vase was sold to a private collector in 2001.  It was accessioned into Relic Pine's Americana Collection in 2021 as an example of contemporary Native American art.

Other examples of Bill Glass' work can be found in the collections of the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, Muskogee, Oklahoma; the Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona; the Institute of American Indian Arts Alumni Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico; the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia; the Stovall Museum, Norman, Oklahoma; the Smithsonian, National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC; and the Cherokee Historical Society Museum, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Late 18th and early 19th century chimneys found in the rural Wiregrass Region were "folk designs" based on those seen in larger towns and cities or within the pages of trade publications.  In most cases they were built by experienced brick and stone masons who lived within the community or serviced a particular area with their mule and wagon.

Early chimneys along the Georgia Frontier were constructed from hewn sticks and mud (wattle and daub).  These were built off the house facade and were generally propped up by a large log angled roughly at 45-degrees. Called a "kick out chimney," these early stacks were prone to igniting after a few years due to drying, erosion of packed mud joints, or the accumulation of tar and resins inside the flue.  In the case of a chimney fire all that needed to be done to prevent the house from bursting into flames was to go outside and kick the propped log out, causing the chimney to fall safely away from the house.  The next day work would begin on the new chimney.  In the archaeological record, baked clay daub extending away from an historic house site is usually an indication that the family experienced a chimney fire.

The next generation of the frontier chimney was constructed from stone or locally made low-fired brick. These chimneys were designed to float off the facade, like their predecessor, to disperse heat and keep sparks out of and away from the home. These later chimneys were quite efficient, exhibited Rumford Style fire boxes, and can still be seen associated with surviving older homes.

Note that low-fired brick are much softer than modern high-fired brick and require a sand and lime mortar only to allow for seasonal expansion and contraction. Portland cement is too rigid and can cause older bricks to spall and crack. So be mindful when repointing older brick or reusing older brick in new construction.

Relic Pine is currently looking for a talented brick mason to reconstruct two historic chimneys for its Project House near Amboy, Georgia.

The south "blast doors" were constructed from 19th century weathered heart pine; a great look with authentic appeal. BUT......the design team couldn't leave well enough alone and added a hinged peep hole "a la Pirate's House".  

At least it has function.

A typical 19th century Wiregrass Georgia home was constructed of heart pine and went largely unpainted. The tight grained old growth pine could withstand years of UV exposure, wind, and rain without a protective layer of paint. Occasionally accent colors were used to subtlety enhance the structure, mainly the front facade. Accent colors had meaning and were usually equated to a form of symbolism. For the Scottish and Irish settlers, the significance and placement of certain colors were Celtic in origin.

In a previous post the significance and meaning of the color green was discussed. Another important color once regularly seen on early Wiregrass Georgia homes was the color red. Natural pigments such as red ochre and iron oxide were mixed with water and oil, then applied to surfaces more as a thin stain rather than a true paint. As such, weathering and fading tended to minimize the color over time. This color was symbolic to Christianity and the blood of Christ. Red also represented good health, strength, physical energy, courage, and protection. 

In Turner County there exists a rare surviving example of this pigment application. Surviving due to the protection of a porch roof, one can still appreciate how the color was used to enhance certain design features. Note that wainscoting on the front facade is also rarely seen; it typically symbolized the home of a carpenter or a family with above average wealth.

Built around 1850, this home is suffering from serious demolition by neglect. The current owners have been resistant to recent efforts to save it. Relic Pine will attempt to fully document the old home before it becomes lost to the ages. What a waste.

This furniture style is considered the plainest of the Victorian styles; lines tend to be sweeping, undulating curves. It is named for the style that was popular in France as the Bourbons tried to restore their claim to the French throne, from 1814 to 1848. The Empire (Classical [1805-1830]) Period influence is felt, but French Restoration lacks some of the ornamentation and fussiness of that period. Design motifs continue to reflect an interest in the classics of Greece and Egypt. Furniture makers in Boston and New Orleans primarily embraced this style.

The preservation of early Southern decorative arts is an important part of Relic Pine's mission. We recently rescued this French Restoration Pier Table from a hot and damp storage building. Crafted in the mid 1830s with West Indies influence, this piece was originally associated with an Antebellum New Orleans estate; it made it's way to Georgia in the 1950s. Due to it's delicate condition work to save the table began immediately. 

During the stabilization and cleaning process we found the pier table had been signed by it's Southern craftsman (see pictures). It is attributed to free black cabinetmaker, Jean Rousseau (1810-1837). The hand carved legs exhibit both Classical Greek and Egyptian styling. The dovetail joinery associated with the center drawer were delicately hewn. Our historic preservation team will have this well traveled and rare pier table ready for display very soon.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of the Southern furniture tradition plan a visit to the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Relic Pine Team has been busily working on the Historic Rehabilitation Plan for the Project House. As we move forward with the planning process our historic landscape specialist is coming onboard with a "clang." 

Pictured here is a very old No. 4 cast iron farm bell. It was recently brought to our metal shop for cleaning and restoration. Dated 1848, this large bell came from an Antebellum farmstead near Macon, Georgia. Our benefactor indicated that it was found in a large hole beneath the remains of a collapsed building deep within a wooded thicket. 

Perhaps it fell from it's belfry when the building began to weaken...or perhaps it was hidden away then forgotten. Whatever the story, Relic Pine is proud to have acquired the old bell and is anxious to stabilize and restore it. We certainly are looking forward to hearing the "relic chime'."

Years ago the owner of Relic Pine found a house in Turner County that he absolutely fell in love with. It was built around 1845, not long after the frontier of West Florida (now South Georgia) was opened up for settlement. All of the region's little counties had not been created yet; it was all Irwin County, the land between two rivers and the Spanish Frontier.

The home was basically a log I-House built in the Virginia Style (Plantation Plain), with a large central dogtrot. It had a front and rear porch that stretched the full width of the both facades. A detached kitchen was centered in the rear of the home, aligned with the opened dogtrot. In the 1880s the owners enhanced the home with decorative molding, casings, and trim work. It is obvious they loved their home as the ornate woodwork is still evident today, despite the current dilapidated condition.

What intrigued Owen most was the placement of wainscoting on the front facade. He'd never seen this before. Milled heart-pine casements were delicately sawn at an angle. The chair rail was also milled and the baseboard were hewn from a massive length of pine. To pay homage to this old home and the artsy owners of long ago, Relic Pine began to develop design ideas for the Project House that carried over several unique attributes. First and foremost was wainscoting for the front porch. If we were going to do it, the material had to be historic and salvaged from an historic home under the right conditions.

In Kingsland, Georgia our design team found an 1870s home that was being renovated by it's owners. To qualify for a loan all the old paint needed to be removed from the exterior of the home. Rather than strip and scrape, the owners opted to rip all of the old architectural features off and replace them with new material. As such, balustrades, porch posts, and windows were laid on the damp ground beneath an ancient live oak tree. After an enjoyable conversation, this material was kindly donated to Relic Pine's Project House.

The porch posts will replace those along the front porch that rotted away years ago and ultimately replaced by 4 x 4s. The windows were reused and highlighted in a recent post. The outer panel of the balluatrades we're repurposed for use as wainscoting. Referred to by the crew as "gator teeth," each panel is adorned with lapped ceder shakes that have been sawn into an inverted arrowhead design. Now installed, the wainscoting will be cleaned, subjected to minor repair, then primed and painted the base color of the home. 

Illustrated on the left are elements of the front facade of the old home found years ago. Red paint accents are still visible. On the right are the historic Kingsland panels applied in much the same fashion to the Project House front facade. It's far better to use them here than see them tossed into a landfill or left to rot under an ancient oak tree.

Relic Pine has set aside 43 acres for the reestablishment of a 500 year old native habitat area. Within the confines of this tract will be a wealth of native flora and fauna species; most importantly the Live Oak.  

Here is a portion of the first batch of acorns from the 2022 season. Collected at Odum, Georgia, these were submerged in water with all floaters being culled. The healthy acorns will be placed in a mesh bag and kept at 41 degrees until early Spring 2023. At that time they will be forced germinated and planted according to the Project's landscape design plan. Larger Live Oaks from 5 to 15 feet also will be introduced to the Project Site. This will create a staggered, more natural sitewide growth arrangement.  

Relic Pine is certainly "planting for the future."

At Relic Pine there exists a distinct love for historic Wiregrass Georgia architecture. Quality restoration and rehabilitation increases the life expectancy of our native homes, barns, and commercial buildings. These tangible relics of our past speak to "integrity of place" and can serve as a guide for quality growth and development in the 21st century and beyond. Our team can make that happen from community planning to construction. But what about adding another layer? Have you thought about an interior floor plan and the incorporation of period decorative arts? We can assist you in that department as well.  

Are you interested in antique stoneware? 

Nineteenth century Wiregrass Georgia was sparsely populated but was replete with talented artisans. The most unsung of these entrepreneurs was the tranquil potter. Most academic studies have concentrated on the production and distribution of stoneware in North Georgia and South Carolina, with the Palmetto State ranking first with it's Edgefield District and the rare monumental works of the Antebellum potter, Dave.

Interestingly, Wiregrass Georgia has its own celebrity 19th century potter, Joseph Timmerman. Timmerman was trained in the Edgefield Tradition prior to settling in what is today Lanier County, Georgia. He was attracted to local high-quality clay deposits that produced a light gray to white base when fired. Timmerman used several alkaline glaze recipes, with the rarest and most beautiful being a dripped pale green glaze that resembled the skin of a watermelon. When discovered, these stoneware pieces command an alarmingly high price on the open market, often finding their way into private collections and museums.

The rare example pictured here was found at the bottom of a dry hand-dug well near Blackshear, Georgia. Great care was given to it's removal. The identification of a small "T" pressed into the strap handle indicates that it is a very early piece (c.1860). This pale green jug exhibits a cylindrical form with a distinctive bell-shaped "Timmerman spout". It is considered to be in excellent, as-made condition. Height is 14-inches.

The Scottish and Irish immigration to North America began long before the founding of our American Republic. These hearty souls were responsible for making the first roads into the great wilderness along what originally began as game trails and Indian paths. With them they brought unique attributes of ancient Celtic culture, music, dance, religion, strong work ethic, and a propensity for innovation. There is no better example of their ingenuity than their frontier architecture. They built their homes to suit the land and climate much the same way they did in their old country.

The dog trot floor plan has it's origins in Scotland and Ireland, the surviving examples we find in Wiregrass Georgia are vernacular styles created using locally procured materials, namely old growth oak and pine, rather than stone. Starting in early 18th century Virginia, the earliest homes were constructed from great hewn logs, by the late 19th century dog trots we're primarily braced framed and constructed from circular sawn (milled) pine. The early 20th century saw the gradual end of the old dog trot; it had been largely replaced by the more popular double pen, central hallway, and hall-parlor floor plans.