Mehr 1816 Rumford
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3/12/20 Is this a Rumford? Pleasure talking last week to you. Enclosed is the picture of my circa 1814 fireplace.
Austin Mehr Austin, Thanks for the pictures. It sure looks like an original 1814 Rumford fireplace. The mantel and hearth extension look original. The firebox appears to have been been repaired, which would be typical. The surround and the firebox were probably originally plastered and whitewashed.
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What does the throat immediately above the top of the opening look like? Is it rounded as in the section for a Rumford fireplace in the article at href=http://www.rumford.com/articleWhat.html It might be difficult to tell since it may have been rounded with plaster which is long gone. Maybe, however, the bricks are chipped or corbeled in sort of a rounded shape. From the smoke stains above the opening, it appears that the fireplace smokes or has at some time smoked. Maybe insufficient make-up air was supplied or the lack of or deterioration of the rounded throat or maybe in-expert fires were built. Any fireplace can be made to smoke. I can probably help you figure out why this one smokes, if it does, and help you fix the problem. I'd be interested in more pictures of the house and any history about the house and fireplace you know. 1814 would be right in the middle of Rumford’s popularity and I don't see many original two hundred year-old Rumfords.
Thanks again,
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