[MassHistPres] Gravestone conservation/replication

Sat Jan 5 17:30:08 EST 2008

Remade stones will be time consuming hand work that will not be perfect
copies thus loosing some historic fingerprint essence.

A cast mold of originals into color match high strength concrete with
reinforcing would preserve the original while low cost weathering or
vandalized copies can be extremely original looking down to existing close
up resolution in very fine mortar water sealed for longevity.

Broken pieces can be easily made into complete mold patterns. An exact
surface detail copy is better preservation than a reinterpretation
especially if not done in the exact same materials, techniques and tools. A
new carved stone will look like it is new while a perfect mold can look
exactly as it was when cast or brought back to earlier form if known.

Under preservation;
6. The existing condition of historic features will be evaluated to
determine the appropriate level of intervention needed. Where the severity
of deterioration requires repair or limited replacement of a distinctive
feature, the new material will match the old in composition, design, color,
and texture.

Missing features can both be added or cast as is, depending on evaluation.

Tris Metcalfe
Northampton

> John Stephens1/5/08 2:27 PMjohn at willardhouse.org

> The Grafton Historical Commission is currently working on
> a project funded with a Community Preservation grant to
> reproduce two historic slate headstones in the town's
> original burying ground. The layers of the slate are
> beginning to separate and we fear that the rare
> double-portrait stone carved by James New will be lost if
> we don't act quickly.
> 
> Initial contact has been make with MHC regarding the
> process (state approval is required before removing the
> original headstones), but we are finding the costs to
> replicate the stones are quite expensive (as much as
> $10,000 for the more ornate headstone). The original
> stones will be displayed (and protected from the elements)
> in the Historical Society Museum in the former Town Hall.
> 
> I will contact the sources listed in the previous posting,
> but would appreciate additional references and advice from
> others involved with a similar project.
> 
> John Stephens
> Grafton Historical Commission
> 
> On Sat, 05 Jan 2008 12:00:03 -0500
> masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu wrote:
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>> Today's Topics:
>> 
>>   1. broken gravestones (MONA1927 at aol.com)
>>   2. Re: broken gravestones (pwindt at comcast.net)
>> 
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 15:49:55 EST
>> From: MONA1927 at aol.com
>> Subject: [MassHistPres] broken gravestones
>> To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> Message-ID: <bdc.20e4932f.34aff5f3 at aol.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>> 
>> In East Bridgewater we have a problem with an automobile
>> accident smashing
>> old gravestones in our
>> very old cemetery. We have presented an estimate for
>> replacement to an
>> insurance company and
>> they are fighting the cost. These stones date to the
>> 1700's and were slate.
>> We requested that they
>> be duplicated in granite because of the disintigration
>> slate is apt to have.
>> We have also requested that the epitaphs, and all be
>> duplicated. We found a
>> monument company that will do this for us.
>> The cemetery is in the National Historic District of the
>> town. Has anyone had
>> a problem such as this.
>> What is our legal right to do this.   Margaret
>> Alexander, East Bridgewater
>> Historical Commission.
>> 
>> 
>> **************
> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:30:23 +0000
>> From: pwindt at comcast.net
>> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] broken gravestones
>> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu (masshistpres),
>> MONA1927 at aol.com
>> Message-ID:
>> <010520080230.18345.477EEBBF0001274E000047A922058864429B0B0207999F at comcast.ne
>> t>
>> 
>> 
>> Margaret,
>> 
>> Has the Commission checked with restoration
>> professionals regarding saving the old stones?
>> 
>> There are some excellent craftspeople available that do
>> that type of work. PreservationMass <
>> http://www.preservationmass.org > has a consultant
>> directory listing that can help you. A Google search can
>> help, too. Look for 'gravestone conservation'. The folks
>> at 
>> 
>> Fannin-Lehner Preservation Consultants
>> Contact: Minxie J. Fannin, Managing Principal
>> 271 Lexington Road
>> Concord, MA 01742 -3722
>> Phone:   978-369-6703
>> Fax:       978-371-9883
>> 
>> did a nice job documenting and repairing slate stones in
>> Chelmsford's Forefather's Burial Ground a few years ago.
>> 
>> It would be a shame to lose old slate work if it is
>> possible to save it. And, maybe, the insurance company
>> would agree to the repairs, too.
>> 
>> Good Luck.
>> Paul Windt
>> "Old Chelmsford" Garrison House
>> Chelmsford, MA
>> 
>> -------------- Original message ----------------------
>> From: MONA1927 at aol.com
>>> In East Bridgewater we have a problem with an automobile
>>> accident smashing
>>> old gravestones in our
>>> very old cemetery. We have presented an estimate for
>>> replacement to an
>>> insurance company and
>>> they are fighting the cost. These stones date to the
>>> 1700's and were slate.
>>> We requested that they
>>> be duplicated in granite because of the disintigration
>>> slate is apt to have.
>>> We have also requested that the epitaphs, and all be
>>> duplicated. We found a
>>> monument company that will do this for us.
>>> The cemetery is in the National Historic District of the
>>> town. Has anyone had
>>> a problem such as this.
>>> What is our legal right to do this.   Margaret
>>> Alexander, East Bridgewater
>>> Historical Commission.
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