M
LIFEINTHEBIGOLDHOUSE
Victorian picture rails
Display treasures in a form
both historic and practical
BY LAURI KRAMER SERAFIN
Historic trends and practical displays inter-
sect with one Victorian-era feature. Picture
rails, a form of decorative moulding held at the
top of a wall, double as both a charming addi-
tion and avenue to display framed pictures
or mirrors. Pieces can be hung with movable
hooks, with rearrangement made easy and no
need to put holes in walls.
This moulding first appeared in the 1840s,
in the early Victorian period. Picture rail-
ing is traditionally mounted in different posi-
tions depending on ceiling height. In homes
with high ceilings of over 10 feet, the hor-
izontal picture rail is hung about 11 to 16
inches below the top of the wall. This forms an
important decorative frieze portion of the wall.
An alternative installation is the height
of the door head, which leaves a frieze area
between the rail and the ceiling. Between 1915
and 1940 with lower ceilings, the picture rail
was hung about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch from
the top of the wall to allow room for hanging
hooks.
The Flavel House, constructed in the
1880s, has an alternative picture rail system.
Metal tubing was installed under a wide deco-
rative plaster cove molding. This is an original
feature of the house and was likely gilded in
the past, an ingenious way to hang heavy mir-
rors and paintings.
While many homes have left their picture
rails intact, others have since been replaced. For
a restoration project, this historic moulding is
readily available at lumber and salvage yards.
City Lumber Co. in Astoria and other lumber
yards sell the most common picture rail mould-
ing in hemlock by the foot.
The pieces can be lightly sanded, primed
and painted. Historically, many different styles
and widths of picture rail have been used.
The Forsstrom House has a larger picture rail
moulding than most available today, though I
have found matching pieces at a Portland sal-
vage yard to replace missing sections.
Reproduction hooks of many styles and
finishes can be purchased online, with both
See Page 13
The Circus is Coming to Town!
Come see Circus Nonsense, an ensemble
show by a rag-tag group celebrating
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2 pm, Aug 6, 2022
gasp, wiggle and
6 pm, Aug 6, 2022
2 pm, Aug 7, 2022
giggle.
More Shows Coming this Summer…
Jessica Fichot
Pamyua
Pink Martini
July 23, 2022
Chic show of Shanghai
jazz, gypsy swing and
international folk.
August 20, 2022
Showcasing Inuit
culture though
music and dance.
September 2-3, 2022
A rollicking around-the-
world musical adventure
of classical, jazz and pop.
Buy your tickets today! Online or at the Box Office.
www.libertyastoria.org
Downtown Astoria’s historic Liberty Theatre was made for music, dance,
theatre, readings, film, comedy, children’s programs – and you!
1203 Commercial Street | Astoria, OR 97103 | 503.325.5922 | www.libertyastoria.org
12 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Lauri Kramer Serafin
An antique piano mirror sits over an 1895 piano in the music room of the Forsstrom House.