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

  2017  photos
First floor  - Dr. and Mrs. Hubbard A. Foster
House
3 St. John's 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.


  Special thanks to owners Holly Holdaway and Daniel Culross for their assistance in 2013

Photos and their arrangement ©  Chuck LaChiusa in 2013
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