Search Results for williamsburg
Wallpapers
Geranium Trellis
Chinese trellis designs seem to be the inspiration for this British pattern. Although there was not a complete repeat of this pattern, which was discovered lining a trunk, there was sufficient information for a successful reconstruction. With its rambling vines, strict trellis structure and subtly shifting hexagonal lozenge shapes, this pattern illustrates a fine and … Continued
Ghost Blossom
Little is known about this fanciful vine pattern, aside from it being found in a cupboard in western North Carolina. The unexpectedly graphic depiction of transparency, plus the dramatic color choices (in the original) would be equally at home in designs of the early 20th century. This pattern is licensed to Adelphi Paper Hangings by the Colonial … Continued
Trophies
This pattern is replete with juxtapositions. Not only do groupings of the tools of war – a shield, sword, flag and a quiver with arrows alternate with gatherings of flowers and foliage but the two muscular scaled and barbed stripes have to contend with a delicate shifting line of bell shapes. It is this last motif which frames … Continued
West St. Mary’s
This wallpaper has been reproduced from worn fragments discovered in West St. Mary’s City, Maryland; the original document is part of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation collection. The wallpaper designer borrowed heavily from textile motifs, as was often the case during this portion of the 18th century. Cross hatching inside s-scroll ribbons gives the appearance of … Continued
Reveillon Damask
Adelphi’s Réveillon Damask is reproduced from a fragment in the collection of Colonial Williamsburg. The pattern has also been found underneath a simple flowered paper in a house on the Quai Voltaire in Paris. It was printed by the firm of Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, the most famous French manufacturer of wallpaper in the late 18th century. … Continued
Plain Papers
Plain colored, unprinted papers were fashionable from about 1760-1820, often hung with elaborate festoon or other borders. These papers have been discovered in historic houses ranging from simple to grand on both sides of the Atlantic. We know of installations in the fairly humble Pendleton House in North Carolina, as well as the imposing Osterley … Continued
Pagodas
This wallpaper and the accompanying Floret Border were hung in the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The opulent Georgian mansion, which has been owned and preserved by the Marblehead Museum and Historical Society since 1909, features rococo interior carvings as well as early English hand-painted scenic papers from the 1760s. The Pagodas pattern … Continued
Neoclassical Squares
With two distinct versions of this pattern available in early 19th century America, and two additional reproductions offered by mid-20th century manufacturers, this pattern must certainly have been hung in a great many homes over the last 200 years. The original document used to prepare our version is from the archives at Colonial Williamsburg. Another … Continued
Jefferson Trellis
Thomas Jefferson’s records of purchases for his Virginia home, Monticello, clearly indicate that French wallpapers, were ordered for several rooms. However, today it is only the North Octagonal Room for which any discernable evidence of a wallcovering exists and this is only in “ghost” images – areas where pigments bled through the paper and onto … Continued
Ipswich Sprig
Small sprig motifs gained popularity in the 1760s and remained in fashion until about 1815, after which they gave way to papers with larger scale repeats. A reproduction of this pattern (discovered in Ipswich, Massachusetts) was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution for use in the 1760s parlor of the Choate House at the National Museum … Continued
Everard Medallion
The source for this pattern is a wallpaper fragment discovered beneath a 19th century cornice in the Thomas Everard House in the historic 18th century town of Williamsburg, Virginia. The diamond shaped design is formed by four slender scrolled leaves surrounding a foliate medallion. The scrolling and symmetry of the leaves are typical of the … Continued
Everard Damask
This wallpaper is reproduced from fragments found on the walls of the dining room at the Thomas Everard House in the historic town of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. It is an excellent example of the large scale floral and foliate imitations of damask textiles that were popular in the mid 1700s. “Flocking” was often used to … Continued
Butterfly Chintz
The original antique document for this pattern was purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for its collection. Little is known about the origins of this early French pattern, although the use of multiple floral species emanating from a single vine was a popular one. Exceptionally beautiful, it illustrates how closely fabric and wall hangings correlated … Continued
Borders
Pages
Paper Hangings By Era
Wallpaper usage was extremely rare in early 18th century America; it is only documented in public buildings of great import such as the Governor’s Palace at Williamsburg. However, by mid-century it had become common in the homes of the wealthy, where installations utilized sidewall patterns and narrow borders, often coordinated. In locations more remote from … Continued
The Production Process
Every aspect of Adelphi’s product – from paper types and paint composition to printing methods – has been thoroughly researched in institutions and archives in the US, England and France. We believe that to accurately reproduce traditional, wood block printed wallpaper it is essential to maintain fidelity to the methods and materials originally employed. By … Continued
Portfolio
Adelphi Paper Hangings offers wallpapers that are reproduced using the same hand-printing methods and materials employed circa 1720-1860, after which machine printing methods began to dominate the industry. Our work is based on continuing research into methods, materials, techniques and styles. Each order is individually hand printed by skilled artisans without compromises in quality, historical … Continued