The Hidden Detail in Old Homes That You’ve Probably Never Noticed
October 1, 2024
Source: FB / Chris Calabrese
Since my childhood, I wondered how it could be that my grandmother had such a monumental brick house. I think it was the way it stood erect and kinglike, like even in this century, immovable and unshaking no matter what life offered to it. The pretty tall chimney that was on top of the house was something I always found rather interesting. I never quite knew what kept it so upright—as I observed it in my own 1927 brick English Tudor house; I then saw a metal brace of an arched-like form near the chimney area. At that moment the curtain was lifted, and I saw that even the most stunning architecture could use a photo or two.
Those that make up chimney braces, including the one on my own house, are not simple ornaments. These metal supports are important, especially in structures that have aged old brickage houses as their walls. They were intended to keep the chimney from either falling or sliding in the future—a not uncommon issue for homes constructed prior to 1920, when the fashion of having very large fireplaces and giant chimneys first gained popularity. These are called ‘brackets’ or ‘anchor plates’ and are fastened to rods in the house so that as the house settles or is blown to and fro by the wind, the chimney is kept in place.
This is true given that, in the 1920s and early 1930s, the construction material as well as craftsmanship used while developing homes were relative to the societal value placed on durability and attractiveness. Societies were beginning, and dwellings were expected to endure in a family for generations. The style of architecture that was soon to be synonymous with English comfort was Tudor, the ornate half timbering, primarily with brick, and sexy tall chimneys were soon much sought after. Both chimney braces were regarded as functional in their use but were occasionally incorporated as additional architectural elements of a house.
These metal supports represent a different way of thinking about homebuilding—one where the purpose was far greater than having a roof over one’s head—but to live in a space that would last in terms of the structures and design. While strolling in these old houses today, we tend to sometimes not observe the faint features that still sustain their existence. But such architectural features, rendered virtually invisible, speak of a time when craftsmanship was king.
In the modern day, houses are constructed in a very concise way, but if one has to see this brace again, then he comes to know and feels that it is serving its purpose to the best of abilities in 1912. These are the faces behind our chimneys, and they tell of hope that most of us do not go through half naked. And each time I see that conical piece of metal on my own chimney, it takes me back to those days at the Gram’s—where even the seems and joints had a tale to tell.