[MassHistPres] What are they?

[Porter Phelps Huntington]

I concur....when I saw these images early this morning they match the
surrounds of the PPH Museum grates in the 1752 structure when a cellar
furnace was introduced in the late 19th century into the house before it
opened as a Museum in 1949. Glad others have been on it.

susan lisk

On Tue, Jul 25, 2023 at 1:40 PM Kristi Chase via MassHistPres <
masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:

> I concur with the idea that these are parts for a heating system. The
> stone surrounds for our forced hot air floor vents in our circa 1874 house
> appear to be made of soapstone. Most are 13x15. The returns are 20x30.
>
> Kristi Chase
> Preservation Planner (retired)
> Somerville
>
> On Tue, Jul 25, 2023, 1:16 PM Russel Feldman via MassHistPres <
> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>
>> Often, forced hot air systems required a single very large return duct.
>> Residential systems could require 36” x 48” registers.  I’ve also seen
>> school buildings with returns large enough to stand in.  The design theory
>> of the time was to have very large ducts with fans inducing relatively slow
>> air movement, resulting in much quieter systems than we have now.
>>
>> Russ Feldman
>>
>>
>>
>> *Russel Feldman, AIA, NCARB | Principal Emeritus | TBA Architects, Inc.*
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> * On Behalf Of *Dennis
>> De Witt via MassHistPres
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, July 25, 2023 12:08 PM
>> *To:* Jeffrey Gonyeau <jeffrey.gonyeau at gmail.com>; MHC MHC listserve <
>> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [MassHistPres] What are they?
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks all — that sounds like a near consensus.  But even the very big
>> ones?
>>
>>
>>
>> Dennis De Witt
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jul 25, 2023, at 9:43 AM, Jeffrey Gonyeau <jeffrey.gonyeau at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Yes--that is what they are. They are set into the wood floor and then a
>> cast iron grill/louver assembly rests in a rabbet on the interior edge of
>> the frame.
>>
>>
>>
>> J.
>>
>>
>> *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
>>
>> Jeffrey Gonyeau Preservation Services
>> 86 Ocean Street
>> Dorchester, MA 02124
>> jeffrey.gonyeau at gmail.com <jgonyeau at hotmail.com>
>> Mobile 617-512-0851
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 25, 2023 at 9:19 AM George Shaw via MassHistPres <
>> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Most likely to support grates for heating ducts when the go through a
>> wall or floor.
>>
>> George Shaw
>>
>> Harmony Woodworking (retired)
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 25, 2023, 8:34 AM Dennis De Witt via MassHistPres <
>> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Below are photos of unidentified stone “frames” —  for lack of a better
>> term.  (Possibly soapstone?)  They are in a N.H. barn that was owned 100+
>> years ago by a man who did slate roofing and sheet metal work.
>>
>>
>>
>> We are hoping someone can identify their purpose.
>>
>>
>>
>> BTW there is also some roofing slate of that era.
>>
>>
>>
>> The barn is being cleaned out
>>
>>
>>
>> Dennis De Witt
>>
>> Brookline
>>
>>
>>
>> Very heavy many different sizes.  The closeup is the smallest size- maybe
>> 8x10 or 10x12”
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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-- 
—
*Museum Assistant*
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum
130 River Drive (Rte. 47)
Hadley, MA 01035
(413) 584 - 4699
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