Victorian Cornice / Coving.

[pieman]

Having just moved into an 1877 Victorian house which was unsympathetically so called restored in the seventies which meant removing anything original, I am planning to replace the Cornice in the rooms along with pictures rails. After removing 3 layers of wood chip I can see where the cornice and picture rails were. I am not sure where to start looking for modern material victorian cornice, if there is such a thing.

Any clues??

 

[BMcD]

If you can see where they were then you know what size they were.
These people (amongst others) have a comprehensive range or plaster cornices to choose from
http://www.stevensons-of-norwich.co.uk/
These people may be able to help with the style of cornice most likely used in your house.
http://www.victorian-society.org.uk/
But clues may be found in any original features that may be left or in neighbouring properties of a similar age and style.

 

[rogerh]

I am not sure where to start looking for modern material victorian cornice, if there is such a thing.

You could stick up ready-made cornices but originally they'd have been made in situ using a running mould. Bit messy, though.

http://www.goldtrowel.org/fibrous.htm

http://www.cornice.co.uk/insitu_moulding_reinstatement.htm

 

[Nigel Watts]

Modern cornices, unless run in situ, will tend to have a different profile from authentic ones. There is a practical reason for this. If the moulding is made off site and stuck in place later it has to be more robust and therefore thicker than if it was made in situ by applying the wet plaster to the wall/ceiling and running a template back and forth to form the moulding.

Also, if the house has moved or sagged a bit, an in situ cornice will have flexed and a new in situ cornice can follow the line. Cornices made off site are less flexible, so the fit may not be perfect.

These things will probably only be noticed by the cognoscenti, and in-situ cornices are much messier and more expensive to have made, if you can find someone prepared to do it (most decorative plasters wont be interested).