Every once in a while, you find an old item--like this piano panel--100 years of elegance. A 100 year piece of art.
My husband Jon found it. His sister was throwing out the old piano that no longer worked. What a good eye Jon has. He sees it recycled into a functional piece of art as a hat rack for the 12' x 12' foyer. I think it is a stunning piece.
Right now you see it sitting here in our summer kitchen, leaning up against the wood cookstove. I'm afraid it will be sitting there quite some time before we take it to the foyer. The foyer has some structural problems. Under the floor is an 18" crawl space. During the lifetime of this house now 116 years, dampness and black ants chewed the joists into porous wafers. The floor joists must be replaced and the only safe way is to open up the foyer floor like a can of peas to get access.
Last summer 2008, my husband Jon and my Dad Gale deconstructed the front porch, finding the same damp decay and insect damage eating away the porches, railings, ballisters, spindles, and columns. Also we removed the ancient tree on the east side of the house--it too was so hollow in the main trunk that it could hold three basket balls. The tree was extremely damp on the inside and full of black ants. I hope the black ants are gone for good.
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