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From our "06 Summer Newsletter
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"Pixilated" aptly describes the feeling one gets after starring for hours on end at a photo enhanced image. All those tiny, tiny squares of modulated gray tones hopefully shed some light on how the original form looked. Yet in the hands of an expert these seemingly unresolved shapes readily yield their secrets. Such was the case when the offices of Joseph Pell Lombardi Associates contacted craftsmen at Robinson Iron and together they began to study historic photographs of The Octagon House in Irvington, New York. It was evident that there once had been two cast iron lampposts in front of this unusually shaped octagonal structure. Resolving their details in order to replicate them would be another matter. The architect had already produced a beautiful conceptual drawing of the design leaving Robinson Iron to elaborate the details with pencil renderings of each component casting.
The cast iron embellishments consisting of roof cresting, lampposts and curved railing were added to the house in 1872. It was during the height of Victorian decoration and the pieces in the photographs showed obvious evidence of having been painted in several complimentary colors. By scanning the image into Adobe Photoshop, magnifying the area with the lamppost and enhancing the image through several complicated steps Robinson craftsmen were able to interpret the form of each piece of the post.
A "true to the era" color scheme was developed by Lombardi Associates and work began.
The patterns were carved, pieces cast and assembled in Robinson's shop. Then the painting began. Working in the various selected Tnemec acrylic polyurethane colors matched to Munsell numbers the painter proceeded by segments working his way down the post from the top. Due to the uneven nature of the sand cast surface transitional points were of most concern. Finally the fixture itself received the color scheme with the delicate filigree around the "bonnet" picked out in a creamy white to great advantage.
At every stage of the process digital images including short video segments were sent to the architect for review. Close coordination assured quality control throughout the casting, fabricating and painting of these remarkable reproductions. When they are installed later this month with their blown glass panes and gas jet inserts they will no doubt make every bit the statement they made in 1872.
