Reproduction of the Original Vanderbilt Mansion (Hyde Park) Light Fixtures

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ORIGINAL

Vanderbilt Mansion was built in 1899. Pictured here is one of its original wall sconces. Keicher Metal Arts restored the four existing originals AND fabricated two new sconces to match the originals.

RESTORATION
of an ORIGINAL
Keicher Metal Arts meticulously restored the four original sconces back to their former glory. We disassembled the original fixtures and developed a full set of very detailed shop drawings. We restored what was salvageable. For those components that couldn’t be reused we fabricated, forged, machined, and spun replacement pieces. After reassembly, all surfaces were then primed and painted with high performance coatings. Lastly, new wiring, sockets, LED bulbs, and glass were installed.

REPRODUCTION

Keicher Metal Arts reproduced two new wall sconces based on the shop drawings that we made from the original sconces. All new components were reproduced using historically correct methods and materials. This included hand forging, cold forging, repousse, machining various fittings, and fabricating & welding the lantern bodies.

Hard to tell the difference between the restoration and the reproduction, isn’t it?

NEW PENDANT
Keicher Metal Arts fabricated two new wrought iron pendants. Unfortunately there were no originals left so the design of the new pendants was based off of the wall sconces.

Close-up of a new pendant.

Custom Copper Whale Weathervane for a private residence in Cape Cod.

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Copper “Whale” weathervane is approximately 7′ long by 2″ thick. Entire weathervane stands 7′ tallC

The base mount is fabricated entirely out of stainless steel tube and plate

The base includes tapered roller bearings and sleeve bearings below

The base is covered with a 32oz copper shroud and adjustable cardinal points

The structure of the whale consists of a 32oz copper channel perimeter frame fastened to stainless steel supports

This solid stainless steel shaft is welded into the pipe on the previous photo and the whole unit slides down through the base bearings and through the roof

You can see the threaded shaft sticking through the bottom under the saw horses

The upper bearing gets covered with a hand spun 32oz copper sphere which is soldered to and rotates with the upper portion

Now on to Willy’s dental work!
We machined a solid copper bar into the tooth profile, cut it into sections and soldered them in between the two face sheets

Once the excess sheet metal is trimmed and filed smooth Willy’s got a full set of choppers!

All cleaned up and ready to deliver

Here it is at it’s new home on the beach

Custom Zinc Roof Cresting at St Lawrence University’s Historic Herring Cole Hall

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Original damaged roof crest

New Roof Crest: The new cresting was formed in 10′ sections. They were formed in two 3 dimensional faces and soldered together at the entire perimeter.

New roof cresting progress: First round of stamping new roof cresting

New roof cresting progress: Second round of stamping and partial trimming

Closeup detail of finished roof crest

The roof cresting is attached to the ridge covers that we brake formed out of galvanized steel

The original finial was rotted very thin and had numerous patches of tin, caulk, even spray foam!

Where possible original sections are stripped and used to make hammerforms.

A couple of hammerforms and the new components that are made with them

Sometimes we use both male and female hammerforms. Repousse components are hammered out from the behind (female form) then details are chased back in from the front (male form).

This component was too thin and damaged to make a hammerform from so we sculpted a new form

Boxed it up …

Poured a new hammerform (as seen on the top left). This picture shows just some of the modified and custom made tooling for this job

The large “Water Leaf” urn section coming together

Completed, fully soldered zinc finial.
All components of this finished finial are hand formed “repousse” and soldered together into one unit.
(Repousse is the technique of shaping & hammering malleable metal from the reverse side)

New finial in its place at the end of the new roof cresting

Historic Restoration of Wrought Iron Handrails, circa 1760s, at the Schuyler Mansion

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Original railing before restoration

Closeup of deterioration

Previous misguided attempts of scroll repairs. We hand forged proper reproductions

This picture shows previous inadequate attempts to fix the scrolls. They are not true to form. They are bolted on. The pickets are arc welded. The original tenons are broken or missing. Most of the mortise holes are split from rust. Previous repairs to the splits were done with improper materials and methods.

The previous repairs have been removed and all signs of that work has been restored properly. The restoration entailed hand forging new scrolls to match originals. These are forge welded and tapered. Each unit consists of 2 scrolls, tapered at the ends to fit with the next sets of scrolls. Top rail has been repaired. We reforged new tenons on the original pickets. In the original design, the tenons on the pickets passed thru the scroll & top rail and were hot forged down to hold the entire assembly together. (In this picture, the tenons have not been forged down yet.)

We smoothed the scroll. Gouged metal on both the rail and scroll have been restored. Forged and welded a new tail. Visible is the picket with the end restored with the new tenon.

Original scroll that had previous repairs. The tail has been burned off. The scroll and picket were welded to the top rail. The scroll is deformed.

New scrolls are hand reproduced using the same blacksmithing and “forge welding” methods as the 1760’s originals.
The scroll at the top of this picture is the first part of a scroll jig that was used to straighten damaged scrolls and form new ones.

Closeup of 4 piece joint

Restored Railing

Restored Entrance

1790’s Period Correct Hand Forged Iron Rails

Slit & drifted top rail with custom forged ‘D’ profile

Mortise and tenon connections

Stainless Steel Outdoor Theater Light Boxes

Lightboxes fabricated out of 1/4″ thick type 316 stainless steel mounted with adjustable stainless steel bracketry to both the subfloor and the end of each granite theater seat

Aluminum Curved Parapet and Stair Rails – Anodized Dark Bronze

Restoration of 10 Bronze Kalamein Night Doors

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The restoration of 10 bronze kalamein night doors and frames required the removal of any damaged cladding, repairing of deteriorated wood substrate (replacing as needed), reinstalling cladding (replacing as needed), and repairing the hardware (replacing as needed).