Illustration [404] shows the rear of the stairway, with the front door, in the house built in 1795 by Harrison Gray Otis, in Boston. It is now the property and headquarters of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, having reached that safe haven after the descent from an elegant and fashionable residence to a lodging house. It has now been restored with great care to much of its original appearance. The illustration shows the fine boxing of the stairs and the ornamentation of the stair-ends. The balusters are twisted and end in a turn without a newel post.
Illus. 405.—Mantel in Harrison Gray Otis House, Boston, 1795.
Illustration [405] shows a mantel in the Otis house of painted wood, with the space above the shelf taken by two sets of doors, one sham, of wood, and the other of iron, which opens into a safe. It is difficult to imagine why this transparent device was placed in such a conspicuous place.
Illus. 406.—Stairs in Robinson House, Saunderstown.
Illustration [406] shows a very good stairway in the Robinson house in Saunderstown, R. I. It has two turns, and the panelling on the side wall has a mahogany rail which turns with the one above the twisted balusters.
Illus. 407.—Stairs in Allen House, Salem, 1770.
