Foster House  - Table of Contents .......................  Allentown - Table of Contents

  2017  photos
First floor  - Dr. and Mrs. Hubbard A. Foster House
3 St. Johns Place at Wadsworth Street,  Buffalo NY

The house was purchased in a bank foreclosure in 2004.  The interior was in drastic condition. One dramatic improvement since then is that all the floors, including the basement, now have radiant floor heating. 

The interior style of woodwork is Eastlake, very common and popular in Queen Anne houses, especially in Allentown where this house is located.  Much of the antique furniture collection is also Eastlake.

One of the few Eastlake style pieces of hardware left in the house

Entrance foyer Wadsworth St. entrance, probably the entrance Dr. Foster and his family used when the house was built. Doors are made of quartersawn oak. Looking at the entrance double doors   ...   The stained glass birds are not original to the house, but introduce the bird motif (blue jay, cardinal, hummingbird, robin) found in the B&B bedrooms Looking at the entrance double doors   ...   Mosaic floor installed in ------  on top of the radiant floor heating echoes the bird motif Entrance dootrs at left   ...   Entry hall with staircase through doors at right Floor mosaic

St. John's Place entrance foyer Originally, probably the waiting room for patients    ... Display case hints at the Victorian antiques found throughout the house

View of entry hall from the St. John's Place foyer   ...   Note spindle spandrels behind the chandelier and the staind glass panel at the right   Tall pier mirror on low pier table   ...   Two details below: Pier mirror detail #1 Pier mirror detail #2 - Applied grotesque flanked by leaves 20----- radiant heating  below mosaic  and wooden floors  ...   Pedestal table with vase-shaped base and outward-curving legs ending in paw feet   ...   Bottom half of fluted staircase newel   ...   One of a pair of Eastlake arm chairs with turned legs on casters (chair detail below:) Carved chair crest   ...   Acanthus leaf design on upholstery Floor lamp shade features bird motif Spindle spandrel Oak Queen Anne staircase  features panels and turned balusters   Original newel post features fluting in lower half with  acanthus leaves, at top (detail below:) Turned balusters.

Original patient waiting room off the St. John's Place foyer

Sitting room Rococo Revival furniture   ...   Note wainscoting Medallion detailed below:  Plaster medallion Mantelpiece   ...   Panel detailed below: Mantelpiece panel with applied ribbon supporting bellflower wreath Eastlake style (especially the spindles) glider with lyre splat Eastlake style chairs   ...   Wainscoting

Living room     Note piano at left   ...   Sideboard in middle Piano two details below: Piano detail #1 - Foliated panel Piano detail #2 Fringed Victorian lampshade   ...   "Early lampshades were made of paper.  It wasn’t until the Victorian era, which began during the reign of Queen Victoria from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901, that shades became more elaborate and the craft of designing shades became an art.  Victorian shades are mainly made of material, beads, trim and fringe.  They were created to give the room elegance and romance." - Shades of Light & Design (online Dec. 2017) Mantel   Lincoln rocker  has a Rococo Revival crest (detailed below:) and tufted (threading through layers of fabric or leather, often in a pattern, and securing the ends of the thread with a knot or button) back

Dining room Originally, the house included wooden shutters that folded into the paneled jambs Two details below: Detail #1 - Applied panels includes C scrolls, cartouche, and bellflowers   ...   Note escutcheon (detailed below: Detail #2 - Escutcheon Lincrusta pattern: birds flying. "Lincrusta was launched in 1877 to instant success in a host of applications from royal homes to railway carriages. Heralded as the first washable wallcovering, it appealed to Victorians because of its sanitary properties as well as its durability and ornate effects. "A British invention, it was the brainchild of manufacturer Frederick Walton whose father pioneered linoleum floor covering in the 1860´s. Originally launched as "Linoleum Muralis", it was subsequently re-named "Lincrusta-Walton" − Lin for Linum (flax, from which linseed oil is made) and Crusta (Relief), with the inventor´s name being added to prevent other firms using the same title." - Lincrusta (online Jan.. 2013)

Kitchen

Bathroom The sink in the foreground was purchased at an auction of the Park Lane Restaurant.