What A Difference!!

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 25, 2024

As time moves on, new concepts or understanding of historic preservation, take shape. What we know now, in 2024, they did not necessarily know in 1950. So it is always easy to blame the past but one needs to remember the time and circumstance. In 1950, the Astronomical Study was only about thirty years old. Today, its 102 years old so the conservation and maintenance approaches are obviously quite different.


The Astronomical Study, when it was built in 1922, was likely some shade of white – even that is obvious in a black and white photograph. While it did not see much painting after that, they did add an “institutional green” – think your old grade school cafeteria or classroom if you are of a certain age as I am – and then a truly eye-popping blue. Both of these colors also appeared in our former library – now our Research Center. 



But now, thanks to the efforts of Nantucket Heritage Painters, it is closer to what it was. And what a difference it makes with the original woodwork which has been cleaned and re-shellaced in places where there has been loss. Pen Austin has also assisted with a tint to match – though not exactly, as you always want to show where you have been in conservation – on the woodwork where there have been loses due to water and sunlight damage over the last 102 years. 


More to come!


JNLF 

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