Piece of original oak trim

[JJAstorII]

I bought a piece of trim at auction from someone who worked at the paint factory recently. I stripped it of the following paint: white, blue, orange, red, lacquered brown and finally avocado before I very carefully removed that layer to the oak. Hope you enjoy it’s beauty as I do.

 

[Itsstillthinking]

Amazing! one question how was the prices back in 2003/2004 when these where auctioned off? Always had in my head that it was crazy expensive but i might have been wrong

 

[Harland Duzen]

Is that from the RMS Olympic? I heard they painted it ''avocado'' or something and is it from the Grand Staircase area?

Either-way, Congratulations!

 

[JJAstorII]

Heya Martin good to hear from ya! Soon I’ll be posting a reproduction I did of stateroom B64! I know you enjoyed the Reading and Writing room. Also I’ll be posting more details but it looks like they’re going to the Pigeon Forge Titanic museum for display! More details to follow.

Now your comment, haha, Yupper Avocado green was the last layer I had. I sadly have no idea where on the ship it was on the Olympic. I wish and was hoping some of the community would have some ideas?

 

[JJAstorII]

Amazing! one question how was the prices back in 2003/2004 when these where auctioned off? Always had in my head that it was crazy expensive but i might have been wrong

I’m not sure of the 2004 prices. That would be the guy I got it from. I paid a decent price. Both this and the pillar I have from the second class dining room were both got for a good price. I paid under a hundred for this trim and $300 for the pillar.

 

[Itsstillthinking]

Considering its a one of a kind id say that it was a great price! imagine if one could today buy pieces of olympic for that price! Im really envious of Ken's collection as the Titanic Channel has show parts of his collection and Whoa the pieces he has is amazing

 

[Harland Duzen]

That's fantastic news JJAstorll! I hope your career in Titanic Model Making prospers!

As for where it might have come from in the ship, I might be able to help.

In 1933, Olympic had her interior updated to be more modern and in a art-deco style which unfortunately meant they painted over the original wood (hence why the Olympic's Honour and Glory Crowning Time panel in Southampton is now a dirty white colour, see link below).

Mark Chirnside's book ''RMS Olympic: Titanic's Sister'' also describes the change to the ship's interiors (Page 245-246):

''The old English carved oak panels in the public rooms and companionways have been painted oak green with dull gold edgings.''
The New York Times (1933)

''Many ideas were considered before it was decided to build up on a background of soft Georgian Green, a harmony of colour in quiet tones relieved with the rich bronze balustrade, some touches of gold in the more prominent carved cornices.''
Ashby Tabb, Heaton Tabb & Co.

However, many didn't like the changes and the original designer ''Edward Croft-Smith...was less than impressed by the new colour scheme and apparently vowed never to design another ship if ship owners were going to change them.''

These photos taken from Google (see links below) show some pieces from one of the Grand Staircases painted green. If this is around the same colour then you might have a piece of the Grand Staircase!

Hope this helps and well done on restoring it to it's original splendour, that would cheer up Edward Croft-Smith!

 

[JJAstorII]

Gosh wouldn't that be awesome. Well I tell you that last layer really could've been. It wasn't as dark as the panels in the picture. More like the Honor and Glory clocks paint. With that shiny coat over it too. Just the same as that.

 

[Luis Gabriel]

Hello everyone! I saw a tiny piece of this trim on eBay, but it’s painted white. Why is it white and not green/oak?

 

[JJAstorII]

While at the factory the trim and fittings went through years of sample paint coats. When I’ve stripped my mouldings I’ve found about 6-10 layers of paint before i get to the avocado green then one more layer and you’re at the oak.
the ones in the photo were either stripped or came from the auction in 36 which would have had those items right off the ship and they’d be green (even if these were sold at later auction after probably being in some private storage for years)