Historic Homes of New England

by Mary Harrod Northend

Plate XXIII.—Parlor, Rogers House; Drawing Room, Rogers House.

The entire house is finished in white pine, a wood that is rather rare to-day but which shows lasting qualities. This is particularly noticeable in the drawing-room, which lies at the right of the hallway. Over the fireplace is a wonderful old painting representing Saturday Night. This is almost priceless in value, and shows a European peasant scene where little children are gathered around their grandmother for a good night parting.

The woodwork of this room is painted a soft brown, the carving on the mantelpiece showing Neptune with sheaves of wheat, and the whole is supported by Ionic columns. The center of the room at the rear is arched, showing wonderful carving, molded pilasters giving an effect that is fine and distinctive. Here we find, as through all the house, the marked individuality of the Adams period.

Inside this arch is a background of rich, dark red leather, on which are fastened wonderful old plates, many of them brought over by the ancestors of the owner, and without duplicates in this country. These plates are arranged to form a most artistic archway. Most of the prints on the wall are from Sir Joshua Reynolds' paintings. Upon the chimneypieces, not only in this room but also in the several others, it would seem as if McIntire had put his best work. They appear to stand out with exceptional grace and dignity, with charm of line and proportion. Here we find applied work of the most delicate nature and hand-carving that is exquisite in detail, adorning not only the moldings of cornice or frieze, but re-echoed in the pilasters of the over-mantel. The architrave of the mantelboard proper and its frieze, the capitals of the colonnettes, the edge of the shelf, and the molding that surrounds the panel over the chimney-breast, are masterpieces in bas-relief. The architectural treatment in this room convinces one of the great possibilities that lie in the white wood finish and how appropriate it is as a background for the rare pieces of old furniture that were used in our forefathers' day.

The living-room on the opposite side of the hall furnishes a most satisfactory tone for mahogany furniture in its white wood finish, there being a somber richness in the combination of the mahogany and white that is most harmonious. For instances of that, we have only to go back to our great-grandfathers' time, for a white finish was a popular fad in colonial days.

Over the mantel in this room is "Sunday Morning," a choice picture that is worthy of its setting. The casings of doorways which are often elaborated by the addition of a beautiful cornice and frieze, are further examples of McIntire's wonderful skill. Sometimes the cornice includes wonderful hand-carved molding showing between the dentiles fine spears which are supported by pilasters on each side. There are dainty grapevines and superbly modelled fruit baskets, while the door-cap frieze often shows dainty festoons and straight hanging garlands, with rosettes between. In the pilasters we find carved eagles and fruit-filled urns.

While most of these decorations are carved in wood, some of them are made in French putty and applied to the surface of the wood with glue. This idea is being carried out to-day by our leading decorators.

The morning-room is at the rear of the living-room, a large, handsome apartment opening on to the wide veranda, which is a feature of one side and approached by broad steps. The dining-room leads off the morning-room and is finished in English oak. The entire house, more especially in its interior decoration, is considered by architects all over the country to be one of the finest examples of colonial architecture that was built during the period of Salem's prosperity.

The furniture follows also the same period. Rarely in any private home does one find such a gathering of rare pieces of the three masters: Hepplewhite, Sheraton, and Chippendale. Most of these pieces, in fact practically all, are heirlooms which have descended directly from generation to generation, for this family has the distinction of being one of the oldest connected with Salem's early history.

It is fitting that McIntire should have put his best work into a house like this, where one finds no plain spaces, no wide panels without decoration, and no simple pilasters, for there is a dignity and a charm both in exterior and interior bespeaking not only wealth but good taste.