Longleaf Art Spotlight : The Longleaf Leader

We are proud to have been chosen as this year's Longleaf Art Spotlight, which showcases artists who will take part in the Biennial Longleaf Conference's "Longleaf Regenerated" art show. 

Featured is our beautiful Heart Pine Trestle Table which we made for the a current member of the Long Leaf Alliance. 

The show features art made from and dealing with the longleaf ecosystem, which was once nearly annihilated due to deforestation. Our heart pine, reclaimed in Savannah Georgia, is all derived from the old-growth, once omnipresent in the Southeast, and put back in use, to keep the new forests safe to grow to its original age and range. 

The Longleaf Alliance, who publishes the Leader, also runs the conference. For years we've worked closely with the Alliance due to a common belief in preservation, and desire to revive our once majestic longleaf forests. 

From their site: 

"The Longleaf Alliance (LLA) was established in 1995 when it became apparent that the interest in the longleaf ecosystem and the tree itself was growing rapidly, but there wasn’t an outlet available for ecologists, foresters, wildlife biologists, land owners and land managers seeking information or a means to distribute information they did know. A growing body of anecdotal information, personal experience, and scientific data was being passed on fitfully, and many groups were not being reached. The LLA was therefore created with the express purpose of coordinating a partnership between private landowners, forest industries, state and federal agencies, conservation groups, researchers, and other enthusiasts interested in managing and restoring longleaf pine forests for their ecological and economic benefits."

We're proud that our lovely city of Savannah has been chosen to host the 2016 event, and are excited to present our work at the exhibition. 

The article, as well as the entire Winter 2016 issue of the Longleaf Leader may be read here. 

 

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Industrial Pipe & Reclaimed Heart Pine Bench

This lovely bench was made by our friend Bruce with some reclaimed Savannah heart pine supplied by us:

It's quite a simple design, two heart pine boards and a custom-made industrial pipe frame, but stunning to see. Certainly the durability and tight grain of our reclaimed old-growth wood is perfect for such minimal structure, and the color scheme coheres perfectly with the piping.

As always, we love to see the work done with our materials! 

If you'd like to try your hand at a bench, feel free to contact us, we've got the boards you need! 

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Savannah Stopover Community Founder's Circle

We're proud to be listed as one of the Savannah Stopover festival's Community Founder's Circle this year! Each year the festival provides incredible music and events, taking advantage of our beautiful March weather, and vibrant Historic District. We love supporting the local music and cultural scene in our city, and seeing (hearing!) the results each Stopover is a pleasure. 

From Stopover's website:

"Savannah Stopover Music Festival capitalizes on the logistical good fortune of Savannah, Georgia’s proximity to interstates 95 and 10 by presenting traveling musicians with a welcoming place to play en route to Austin's prestigious SXSW Music Conference.

The small, vibrant coastal community is rife with a unique brand of low country hospitality and southern gothic ambiance, not to mention home to a burgeoning music scene, music-hungry demographic, and an established arts community. The three-day festival puts a premium on musical discovery in an intimate, historical setting at a price unrivaled by any similar music festival.

Heading into it's SIXTHyear, the festival has hosted such notable up and comers as Grimes, of Montreal, The War On Drugs, Future Islands, Mac Demarco, Wye Oak, Generationals, St. Lucia, Oberhofer, Reptar, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, DIIV, HAERTS  and hundreds of others before they broke out of the pack. Offering three days of musical discovery, music fans can hop from venue to venue, beer in hand, keeping track of all of their favorite new acts (yep, you can drink in the streets here, as long as you stay in the historic district)."

Here's this year's lineup:

The festival runs from March 10th-12th, right around the corner, so don't forget to buy your tickets, book your flights, and call your friends! We'll certainly be there. 

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Our Repurposed Balusters for AnSquared

We were delighted with the final look of AnSquared's huge (6.5' x 4'!) custom coffee table with legs repurposed from our beautiful salvaged, antique balusters. 

The finished coffee table. Photo courtesy of AnSquared.

The finished coffee table. Photo courtesy of AnSquared.

We're big admirers and supporters of AnSquared.  They work out of Indianapolis, producing designs and furniture made from recycled and reclaimed materials, with the mission of making beautiful pieces from recycled materials, leaving behind the smallest carbon footprint possible. This coincides perfectly with our own ethos and mission, so we were happy to supply our salvaged balusters for this project.

Back in November, Anthony at AnSquared asked if anyone could turn a few large table legs for a coffee table he was making for a client. We contacted him, told him we certainly could, but that we also had a row of balusters salvaged from a porch in the Historic District, which happened to be nearly the same dimensions he needed. He was happy to accept our salvaged materials, rather than expend the energy required to turn out new ones. And certainly the unconventional use of porch balusters as table legs made for a great embellishment to the table. So off we sent them! 

The baluster in our shop, before removing it from balustrade and rail. You can see the palimpsest of layers of paint. 

Another set still in our shop. 

Another set still in our shop. 

It's always a pleasure to see old architectural accents return to life in a sort of metempsychosis of furnishing. The case is quite extreme considering the size of the actual balustrade. 

The process, from his instagram

As he scraped off the original paint, what he found was a beautiful old poplar wood, with incredible coloration and grain.

If you're interested in this table or more of AnSquare's work, be sure to check out their website! 

And if you'd like a few of these beautiful antique balusters for your own project, contact us today.

 

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Reclaimed Heart Pine Design: Fix It and Finish It

We recently assisted designer Nicki Huggins redesign and renovate SCAD Professor Michael Chaney's master bedroom for the current season of Fix It and Finish It. The show features one-day DIY overhauled renovation of one space in homes throughout the country, working with local contractors. It's quite a spectacle to watch, both the speed of design and surprised of the homeowner at the end. We were, of course, excited for the opportunity and challenge! 

The room selected in Savannah was in a house over 100 years old (build in 1901, so 115 years old!) in our historic Savannah. It  showed signs of its original appearance, but was in need of repair, and a new design solution to better arrange clothes, clutter and space.

To facilitate this, we helped design, built, and installed a stunning custom-made reclaimed heart pine closeting system and wardrobe, complete with a beautiful vintage rolling ladder we found in an old hardware store, and replaced the anachronistic modern doorknob with one of our antique brass knobs. 

Because we reclaim our heart pine, the wood we used in the furniture is at least as old as the house, and, as it was used ubiquitously in historic Savannah, would have been found in the original house. The doorknob too was rescued from the dumpster of one of our historic deconstruction projects, and also at least as old as the house. 

We certainly were able to restore and renovate the space. 

Custom Reclaimed Heart Pine Shelving with Vintage Rolling Ladder

 Custom Reclaimed Heart Pine Wardrobe

These cabinets really reflect the innate beauty of heart pine, its visible texture and ring structure, and diversity of color. It provided enough accent to complete a whole wall! 

Antique Brass Doorknob with Escutcheon Plate

The story behind this doorknob was actually quite amusing. While renovating the room, we had cleared enough space finally to see the original knob on this door. It was a boring plated modern doorknob, quite anachronistic and out of keeping with the design aesthetic we had worked to present. Luckily, because of our salvage and deconstruction work, we have dozens of antique doorknobs of all shapes, sizes, and materials, and could quickly find the right replacement.  

Ramsey was enthusiastic about explaining the history of our wood, and its coherence with the renovation and design at hand. When host Antonio Sabato Jr. unveiled the room to Professor Chaney, he described our wood as "the best in Georgia!" Of course we were quite flattered with this compliment, as it results from our work salvaging, reclaiming, and repurposing wood that would otherwise be thrown out. 

You can find videos on the show on Nicki Huggins' Vimeo

Or the videos can be found here (unfortunately they can't be embedded in this blog presently!)
https://vimeo.com/153855098
https://vimeo.com/153855099
https://vimeo.com/153855100
https://vimeo.com/153855101
https://vimeo.com/153855103
https://vimeo.com/153856595

Be sure to check them out!

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Ms. Evelena

Last week we learned with great sorrow and astonishment that one of our dearest friends and most talented coworkers, Ms. Evelena Mauldin, had passed. In her absence, sadness and her memory remain with us, in place of her warmth, kindness, and ever-present smile.

For the thirty-five years Evelena worked with us, she never ceased from making the courtyard, or wood shop, or offices resound laughter. To know her was to know a truly genuine, and wholly kind person, a hard worker, a caring mother, and a dedicated friend. 

On Monday, Chris told me the story of Ms. Evelena's coming to work with us, thirty five years ago. While Ramsey was driving down the street, he came a cross two men standing in a truck, half filled with wood, parked by an old house. He watched them, and saw a long timber descend from above into their hands, looked up and saw a young lady handing down wood from the roof. He went up to the two men and asked them who the lady was. "That's my wife," her husband, proudly replied. Ramsey immediately told him "I'm going to hire her." 

Evelena teaching Scott from Emergent Structures how to properly denail.

Evelena teaching Scott from Emergent Structures how to properly denail.

Ms. Evelena at work. 

Ms. Evelena at work. 

Since then Evelena could be found sorting the mill and courtyard, denailing boards with the skill and strength of a handful of men, or preparing our shop for events, in a long and flowing skirt, unafraid of the nails and snags.  After all of this, she found time to entertain guests, or even sing at our fundraiser for Humane Society, and always would greet anyone and everyone cheerfully. 

Although memory and strength were daunting, it is Ms. Evelena's happy greeting that I remember most. 

It was unbelievable to hear that she had passed from us. She was only 65, but worked on and on, never showing signs of weariness, always happy to be here. 

If anyone deserves a restful, peaceful life after death, it is Ms. Evelena. We would like to offer her our gratitude for the kindness and joy she spread, and offer our condolences to her loving friends and family.  We know she is still spreading joy and kindness, and that she remains within us. 

 

 

 

 

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Reclaimed Heart Pine Design: Perc Coffee

Almost three years ago, PERC Coffee Roasters moved their roasting operation into our facilities at the old Star Laundry building, on the block of 35th St. and East Broad. 

PERC's facade on East Broad. Photo courtesy of PERC themselves. 

PERC roasts fine and seasonally selected coffee beans from around the world, distributing them throughout the Southeast, with the help of an equally diverse team of coffee theorists and music enthusiasts. Their approach resembles closely an hybrid between alchemy, botany, and chemistry. Deriving their exotic roasts from beans grown at various elevations, they are then processed in diverse ways to develop different types of beans. These beans are then roasted, first in a "roast profile," or a gauged method of treating the beans ideally from these last two conditions. To get an idea of their laborious process here's what they've written next to one of their analytic and vibrant coffee-charts:

Each coffee gets to the “first crack” a little differently, so the first thing we do with a new coffee is develop a roast profile. In the first few batches, we work out the ideal: charge temperature, batch size, airflow settings, heat application, and development time to achieve the maximum flavor before it goes into production and out to our customers.

The scientific procedure, and attention to the origins in their roasting allows that the taste that ends up in the coffee brewed and poured into a cup retains the flavor and a trace of the environment of the bean's home soil. It's this effort on their part that reminds us at Southern Pine Company of our dedication to preserving the history and tradition of our wood, be it flooring, timbers, or in furniture. We attempt, like them, to preserve in the final creation, the flavor and look through understanding the story of what we've reclaimed and allowing that to abide. We were quite a lucky paring. Naturally, we were excited to have them next door and across the courtyard. 

Perc's quite international array of beans, situated on our reclaimed heart pine table top, with an antique Victorian porch wood skirt. Photo from an interesting article at The Local Palate. 

To help get them situated next door, we did some work building out the space to fit their roasterly needs, and keep the industrial, blue-collar working aesthetic they wanted to present. Thus we kept the exposed and faded brick walls in tact, and added an array of our antique custom tables. 

During the renovations, photo from this article on the buildout. 

During the renovations, photo from this article on the buildout. 

The beautiful reclaimed factory table frame we cleaned up for their espresso bar. Photo courtesy here.

The beautiful reclaimed factory table frame we cleaned up for their espresso bar. Photo courtesy here.

The result is a clean, airy, but industrial home base for their roasting. An added rolling door keeps the room drafty while their roaster is running, and the tables accent their roastery with austere and solid workspaces. 

The complete renovations, with (from left to right) the large factory table / espresso bar, our long reclaimed heart pine tables with Victorian porch wood trim, long reclaimed wood tables, and our massive industrial L-beam table with salvaged stunning shattered glass tabletop.  

Finshed, it's become quite a good home-base for their operation, with plenty of open space, spectacular lighting, and enough surfaces to supply even Whole Foods with enough coffee. 

The old factory table supporting their espresso bar also features an original C.A. Herriman wood vise, dated October 27th, 1903. We managed to find an old advertisement with appended testimonials. It's quite a lovely piece of wood-history. 

To accent their attention to the journey of their beans, we provided this café table, made of reclaimed heart pine boards we acquired through an extensive deconstruction of the One West Victory building, which used to be an old ice factory. The saw edge markings and old distress is still visible. 

Another view of the same table. The skirt is made of painted porch wood, also reclaimed heart pine, from a house built in the Victorian era. 

Photo courtesy of Eat It And Like It

Photo courtesy of Eat It And Like It

If you're in Savannah on a Saturday, be sure to stop by for their weekly coffee cupping.

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Gardening With Repurpose

 

Amonges othere of his honeste thynges,
He made a gardyn, walled al with stoon;
So fair a gardyn woot I nowher noon.
"January's Garden"—Chaucer, A Merchant's Tale, 816-818

Although Chaucer's legacy lives on with T.S. Eliot's "April is the cruelest month," remodeled from the original "Whan that Aprill, with his showers soote," in Savannah Georgia we often have a true "midwinter Spring" the through virtually the whole winter. Thus, today, we thought it would be nice to present some lovely gardening ideas reclaimed from our workshop. 

A nice elegant elephant potholder. Image courtesy of Active Planet Travels

The majority of our materials, from antique heart pine flooring, to furnishings find their way into our hands because we choose to save them from the dumpster and the wrecking ball. So when we are asked to sustainably deconstruct or remodel a historic property, we often carry away more than beautiful historic boards. We end up with sinks and metals, toilets and bricks. 

Another use for a toilet bowl. Image courtesy of Active Planet Travels

Although we reuse many of these in our building or remodeling projects, or  even make them into furniture, some stay either in limbo, waiting for a new purpose, or some are too battered to reuse in a home. To prevent these odds and ends from ending up in the dumpster, adding to environmental waste and emissions, we've converted them into planters for a little urban garden. 

The result is that our stockpile has become instantly more pleasant to the eye, as January's garden, and also transforms our shop into an ad-hoc green space for the community. Repurposing with even an aesthetic purpose is what we love. I'm certain Eliot would rethink his Wasteland if he and Chaucer haunted by.  

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Reclaimed Antique Pine: "Haint Blue"

While our stock of antique flooring and wood was being sorted, I came across these great old boards of heart pine, salvaged from two-hundred year old porches, and still bearing their old patina of "porch-ceiling blue." 

Now this pleasant blue-green color did not always bear that name. In the South, it's traditionally called "haint blue," and bears a historically and supernaturally significant history.

The word "haint" comes from the Gullah, a group of African American freed or run-away slaves that inhabited the coastal South East, especially in South Carolina, and the Savannah area, and means a haunt, ghost, or spirit. 

Haunt-blue painted ceiling of the Owens-Thomas House's carriage-house. Photo courtesy of David McSpadden.

Haunt-blue painted ceiling of the Owens-Thomas House's carriage-house. Photo courtesy of David McSpadden.

 

The color, made from indigo and other local ingredients, was applied to the undersides of porch ceilings, and the interior of Gullah homes in order to provide a barrier for spirits. 

Savannah, of course, is renowned for its haunted buildings, and is considered one of the most haunted cities in the country, thus haint blue was applied all throughout the historic district of the city to keep the supernatural denizens from taking up unwanted residence. 

Haint-blue found in the Owens-Thomas House's carriage house, still visible after hundreds of years. Photo credit here.

Another stunning image of the color. Photo credit here.

These supernatural protective measures became so ubiquitous, that even the famous Owens-Thomas house's carriage house, then the slave's quarters, was painted with it, and is one of the larger examples of original haint-blue paint remaining. 

We've taken to reusing original boards and pieces of timber still coated in the paint, for example with this reclaimed heart pine long Farm Table, with a salvaged and repurposed porch-wood skirt:

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Or this small reclaimed heart pine castored console table, with an old frame we've reused, and a historic bluish hue:

We love reusing this color in our projects, the color gives a warmth to the wood, and the presence of the color is a reminder, though its purpose is to prevent revenants from returning, of the specter of history always present and rarely seen. 

If you're interested, or have a project in mind, please feel free to contact us! 

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Drayton Tower Kitchen Countertops

A few years ago we were asked to make custom kitchen countertops for the apartments in Drayton Tower, on 102 E. Liberty Street. Guided by the stipulation that the countertops should cohere with the mid-century character of the building, we decided to fashion them out of bowling lanes reclaimed from a neglected bowling alley in north Jacksonville. We then cut varying sizes from the full-length (15 foot) lanes to fit appropriately the different spaces in kitchens of different apartment types, then finished each with beeswax and food-safe mineral oil. 

Though appropriating bowling lanes for use in the kitchen might seem strange, it coheres quite well with the history of the building itself. 

The twelve story tall tower, completed in 1951 and called Drayton Arms, originated as an apartment building proposed to accommodate veterans and lower income tenants. Though its modern design was quite appealing in its time, over the next two decades the building fell into disuse and disrepair as populations migrated into the suburbs. It sat for in this condition for nearly 40 years, until Drayton Arms was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, and shortly afterward was bought and renovations commenced. 

The newly christened Drayton Towers opened in 2013 and holds 99 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments within the upper floors of the building. Before the opening, we assisted a variety of demolition and deconstruction work on the building itself, and, to finish the apartments, added these countertops. As the structure itself was built in 1951, we decided to use our bowling lanes—the ‘40s, ‘50s’ and ‘60s are considered the “golden age of bowling,” after which the game fell out of favor. Subsequently bowling alleys across the nation fell into a similar disuse and even closed, leaving the sturdy (imagine a wooden remain uncracked with 16 pound balls flung at it all day) and beautiful lanes exposed to deterioration or tossed into the dumpster. 

As our original stipulation required, these reclaimed and repurposed bowling lane countertops reflect the renovated Drayton Tower, both salvaged from probable destruction from a time slowly forgotten, and fashioned into a refined, functional and austere contemporary design.

Vintage Sale: Reclaimed Antique Doors

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While cleaning out our shop, we decided we'd put up three of our beautiful antique reclaimed doors. They would each make an excellent accent to any home, with a little bit of renovation! 

Antique Egyptian Courtyard Door, 54" x 97"— $3500

Green Painted Antique Barn Door, 27" x 70" — $325

Corrugated Barn Door, 32" x 67" — $225

If you're interested, feel free to call or email chris@southernpinecompany.com for more details!

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The Legacy of Longleaf Pine: Savannah, Georgia, and the Lumber Trade

"A View of Savannah as it stood on March 29th, 1734." Georgia Historical Society

Savannah was founded on an elevated bluff above a gentle river. River and resource have, with time, combined in response to define the people, places, and potential of the city. The inhabitants came from distant shores hoping to start businesses and build homes, many with families, and others alone. Their determination, skill and ingenuity would transform the original town of wooden shacks into a bustling port city equal to any in the Union. The shipbuilding industry has, on multiple levels, enabled and financed the growth of the city.

Turpentine "dippers" and "chippers," 1904.  Library of Congress

 

Savannah became the world’s leader of shipping naval stores by the end of the 19th century. Wasteful extraction of resins from pine resulted in stunted or malformed growth and often led to the tree’s death. Lumbering proponents remained critical until the turn of the 20th century. In 1901, a little known University of Georgia chemist, Charles H. Herty, would conduct experiments in Statesboro derived from French “cupping“ techniques. Herty’s conservation work would transform the industry.

Warehouse and railroad construction used hundreds of thousands of feet of lumber. These expansions would facilitate the state’s ability to extract resources from the hinterlands of the interior.

Thousands of barrels of naval stores at the Savannah port, 1904. Library of Congress

 

The explosion of construction projects demanded more lumber. The increase in industry led to the influx of people, all needing housing. The development of now historic Savannah homes became a business in its own right. Stately mansions and meager cottages began to fill Savannah, constructed mainly of old growth woods, many of which still remain today.

Lumber has been shipped from the Georgia coast since the time of James E. Oglethorpe and the colonists. During the 18th century, the British Crown reserved the largest timbers for ship masts and made clear their unapproved removal under harsh penalty of law. To encourage the clearing of land for agriculture after the revolution, the Georgia State legislature appropriated 500 acre grants to reward settlers for the construction of sawmills. Naturally the number of Sawmills in Savannah and Brunswick greatly increased. By the 1870’s Savannah would be home to more than two dozen lumber mills and timber factories.

Lumber being loaded onto a schooner at the Savannah wharf, c. 1900. Library of Congress

The sawmill has always established a hub for materials and industry. In 1836, James Hall observed, "ours [may] be called a wooden country; not merely for the extent of its forest but because in common use wood has been substituted for a number of most necessary and common articles - such as stone, iron and even leather.“

The Royal Vale Plantation bred one of the most successful early sawmills in Savannah. William B. Giles and Co. invested a reported $70,000.00 in the operation, which began production in the summer of 1848. The company and its steam planing mill at the corner of Price and Liberty Street was sold in its entirety to D.C. Bacon in 1873. In 1876 Bacon incorporated the business with partners William B. Stilwell and H.P. Smart, and would invest in multiple lumber operations in Georgia including Vale Royal Manufacturing Co. in 1884.

Southern Pine Company of Georgia was incorporated in 1895 with a reported capital of $1,250,000.00. The company of Georgia owned and operated docks at the Port of Brunswick and maintained offices in Savannah and New York. The major product sold by this company was the famous long-leaf pine which was offered as rough or finished lumber. The lumber was shipped to both foreign and domestic markets on a regular basis. This was a very prestigious lumber firm which contributed to the general development of Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia.

Henry P. Talmage was president, Wm. B. Stillwell, secretary and treasurer, and A. C. Banks, agent. The present-day owner and president of the historic Southern Pine Company of Georgia is Ramsey Khalidi.

Pine forest near Waycross, GA, 1936. Library of Congress

"The Homestead act of 1866 limited land purchases to 80 acres and was intended to help establish the masses of disenfranchised ex-slaves, laborers, and refugees while rejecting petitions of confederacy. Northern politicians hoped to use the land policy as an instrument to dismantle the antebellum aristocracy. Despite the intentionsof the policy, by 1976 the restrictions were repealed, and the vast acres of timber were open to large-scale purchase. The millions of federal lands released in 1876 became the gold rush of the Georgia pine harvest."   -Building Savannah, David E. Kelly
“The American forest has been likened to the goose that laid the golden eggs. This fairy tale reference applies in more ways than one. The nation’s lumbermen, responding to the demands of the unenlightened public, once tried hard to kill the goose in order to extract all the eggs at once. There was a dismal dawning, however, and we realized the folly of hoping for eggs from a dead goose. By slow degrees we reached another conclusion: that a forest, like a goose or any other living thing, must be fed, nursed and shielded from wanton injury if its yield of wealth is to continue indefinitely.“    -The American Forest Association
"Pine was used in the building of Savannah’s colonial homes, but was also major cargo for our young port. Fast-forward to the ruinous 1970’s when many of those wonderful old homes were being ripped down to make room for more important things, like strip malls and street widening. Then award your gold star to Ramsey Khalidi who valued that old lumber and wrestled it out of dumpsters to squirrel away as the treasure it was, often having to beg different friends for storage space in their garages. 'I couldn’t stand to see it hauled off to the landfill,' he once said. 'It’s so beautiful.' "  -Waking Up Men, O. Kay Jackson

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River-Reclaimed Longleaf Pine Coffee Table

A beautiful example of our longleaf pine coffee table, donated to our friends at the Ogeechee Riverkeeper. Made entirely out of hand salvaged, centuries-old reclaimed heart pine it has been painstakingly fashioned into the perfect, minimal table giving a nice accent of history on which to enjoy your coffee and/or reading. The two center boards, greyish in color, are river-reclaimed wood, which sat in the Savannah River's bed for 150 years.  The two outer are regular pine, and emerged from a building deconstruction. We make each according to your specific taste, so feel free to message us if you’d like something similar in your bookstore, lounge, parlor, or sitting room! Featured with our very tenacious monstera deliciosa.

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Vintage Sale: Donghia Upholstered Chair Set

Some years ago we acquired this set of 8 chairs by the designer Angelo Donghia. We're selling the set, 6 armless, and 2 with arms at a drastically reduced price. Great reupholstery project, and accent for a conference or dining room.

You can find a similar pair at One Kings Lane to compare. 

Contact us for details— chris@southernpinecompany.com or (912) 236-4112! 

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From a Pile of Reclaimed Savannah Grey Bricks to a Chimney Back, Charlotte N.C.

A few months ago we were asked to supply antique reclaimed bricks for a private residence in Charlotte N.C. Among the many kinds we've collected from years of preservation and reclaim work, we were delighted to provide our most precious, the hand made Savannah Grey bricks. Here is a beautiful pallet of them: 

The history of these bricks is inextricably inlaid in Savannah's history, and dates back to the early 1800s, on the McAlpin plantation. This plantation was situated on a rare type of grey clay which was then hand-formed into these irregular and large bricks. The result was a rare non-agricultural plantation. 

After the 1820 fire that devastated the city of Savannah, these bricks were made and deliver in huge quantities to rebuild the city. Because they were local and inexpensive at the time, they provided an easy solution to reconstruction, and can be found in many of the older buildings throughout the Historic District. 

Because they were hand-made and sourced in a small and unconventional deposit of grey clay, these bricks became increasingly rare, such that now it's almost impossible to find them. Their shape and composition requires a special kind of historic mortar, which looks stunning when finished. 

The finished product, in North Carolina is an antique chimney-back built into the guest bathroom of a renovated historic home:

We are quite proud of how austere yet ornate they look in their new home.

There are still plenty of these bricks left, so please contact us if you have a ideas for a project!

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