how to tell if "victorian" plasterwork is original

marshall666

Hello

Posting here in the hope that someone can help point us in the right direction. Not exactly moneysaving but I suppose we'll save money if we don't buy the house!
We are looking at buying a Victorian semi that has tons and tons of ornate plasterwork. Ceiling roses, frieze, and even picture frame type decoration plastered into the walls in one room.

The vendor says its original, but they've only been there since the late 90s. The thought of it being something added in the 70s for example takes away from the appeal somewhat.

Any tips on getting a ballpark idea of the age of the plaster?

Thanks for any ideas!

somethingcorporate

Does it really make any difference?

I'd suggest you'd need an expert but would likely be quite expensive to find someone with the skills.

We've replaced a fireplace in our victorian and the fact that they look original is all our viewers tend to care about.

DRP

marshall666 wrote: »

Hello

Posting here in the hope that someone can help point us in the right direction. Not exactly moneysaving but I suppose we'll save money if we don't buy the house!
We are looking at buying a Victorian semi that has tons and tons of ornate plasterwork. Ceiling roses, frieze, and even picture frame type decoration plastered into the walls in one room.

The vendor says its original, but they've only been there since the late 90s. The thought of it being something added in the 70s for example takes away from the appeal somewhat.

Any tips on getting a ballpark idea of the age of the plaster?

Thanks for any ideas!

does the other half of the semi have similar plasterwork? (or any other house on the street?)

I would be knocking on some doors...

ognum

Replacing plaster work well is very expensive, when restoring one property the Victorian plasterwork into the bay window had disintegrated due to an ongoing leak for I guess many years.

In order to restore it to match the origional I had to get an expert to template the existing origional, they then created it in a workshop and the came out and installed it. When done you couldn't see the join but a small section, maybe two metre cost several hundred pounds.

So if it looks good be pleased it's there!

marshall666

wow thanks for the quick responses!
all good points. will be doing a bit of a scout of the neighbours over the weekend.

Errata

If it's original Victorian chances are that it may have been distempered at some early point in its past. Take a small scraping right back to the plaster from an unobtrusive indentation, and pour boiling water over it. Distemper will dissolve and colour the water, paint wont.

withabix

Unless Victoria the plasterer down the road installed it....

Dave_the_Ginger_Cat

Original plasterwork will typically be consistent thoughout the row of houses, though some may have less there due to it having been 'modernised' over the years.

I had an 1880 house which was built for a Master Plasterer, who seemed to use the house to showcase his skills - what better advert than your own house!

In original work, you'll see more slight variations to the patterns and symmetry and I would expect to see light cracks in line with minor movement to the house over the years. You may even find small pieces missing. I would expect it to have many layers of paint which will have made the features less distinct.

By contrast, modern work, unless it was inordinately sympathetic and expensive, will show much more precision in the repeats, more distinct patterns, and you may see joins from the mouldings.

I think it's only in the last 20 or so years that these features have been valued by folk, and I would be surprised to hear of a renovation in the 50s, 60s or 70s to reinstate plaster. The fashion was much more towards cleaner lines and modernisation rather than the other way around.

I would take a couple of photos of the more unusual parts close up and either talk to a decent plasterer or a period property expert for a view. A firm like http://www.ornateinteriors.co.uk/property.html might be able to help, as much as anything for maintenance and advice.

At the end of the day, though, I'd just consider if you like it. Some people find it fussy, and it harder to clean and maintain.

And if you do buy it, make sure that you tell your insurers, and take very good photographic records, stored elsewhere in case of future damage.

marshall666

another tip I can offer (to myself, being the OP and future readers) is GIVE THE STUFF A TAP
and you may find the ornate "original" plasterwork is thin plastic, most likely vacuum formed.
gutted!