Coade Stone Keystones: Difference between revisions
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Coade stone was not really a stone but a tough ceramic compound fired in a kiln. It was patented by Mrs Coade, who set up a factory producing it at Lambeth in London. It provided a cheaper alternative to costly stone-carving in architectural decoration. The factory's products are quite numerous in the Exeter area | Coade Stone Keystones are decorative headpieces to arched doorways in buildings from the 17th and 18th Century. Very often featuring a face or a protruding head, the keystones rarely have a structural function of a normal arch keystone, Coade stone was not really a stone but a tough ceramic compound fired in a kiln. It was patented by Mrs Coade, who set up a factory producing it at Lambeth in London. It provided a cheaper alternative to costly stone-carving in architectural decoration. The factory's products are quite numerous in the Exeter area | ||
The interest of the originals is considerable for they are made of a ceramic artificial stone, “ Coade Stone” invented and marketed by Miss Eleanor Coade and dated 1793. Much of the ornamentation of London’s Georgian buildings and many well known statues are of Coade stone, a marvellously durable material little weathered by the passing years. Mrs Coade called her invention ‘Lithodypyra’ literally meaning twice-fired stone. It was a very skilled process to get the firing temperatures prolonged and correct in the kilns of the day. | The interest of the originals is considerable for they are made of a ceramic artificial stone, “ Coade Stone” invented and marketed by Miss Eleanor Coade and dated 1793. Much of the ornamentation of London’s Georgian buildings and many well known statues are of Coade stone, a marvellously durable material little weathered by the passing years. Mrs Coade called her invention ‘Lithodypyra’ literally meaning twice-fired stone. It was a very skilled process to get the firing temperatures prolonged and correct in the kilns of the day. | ||
These became popular after the London Building Act of 1774 when unnecessary exterior wood was banned to reduce the risk of fire so people looked for alternative decoration. Coade stone, invented by Eleanor Coade, was remarkably resistant to weather London pollution (see the South Bank Lion) for a further example so these faces are well preserved | |||
Revision as of 19:10, 24 December 2014
Coade Stone Keystones are decorative headpieces to arched doorways in buildings from the 17th and 18th Century. Very often featuring a face or a protruding head, the keystones rarely have a structural function of a normal arch keystone, Coade stone was not really a stone but a tough ceramic compound fired in a kiln. It was patented by Mrs Coade, who set up a factory producing it at Lambeth in London. It provided a cheaper alternative to costly stone-carving in architectural decoration. The factory's products are quite numerous in the Exeter area
The interest of the originals is considerable for they are made of a ceramic artificial stone, “ Coade Stone” invented and marketed by Miss Eleanor Coade and dated 1793. Much of the ornamentation of London’s Georgian buildings and many well known statues are of Coade stone, a marvellously durable material little weathered by the passing years. Mrs Coade called her invention ‘Lithodypyra’ literally meaning twice-fired stone. It was a very skilled process to get the firing temperatures prolonged and correct in the kilns of the day.
These became popular after the London Building Act of 1774 when unnecessary exterior wood was banned to reduce the risk of fire so people looked for alternative decoration. Coade stone, invented by Eleanor Coade, was remarkably resistant to weather London pollution (see the South Bank Lion) for a further example so these faces are well preserved
See Also
The Coade Stone Heads at Hafod, Ceredigion, West Wales http://www.letterfromaberystwyth.co.uk/the-coade-stone-heads-at-hafod/
Coade Stone Keystones in London http://look-uplondon.tumblr.com/post/105768760413/in-the-backstreets-off-edgware-road-theres-a