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Under Construction! Hidden Page!
New Discoveries for the Mysterious and Beautiful "Bamboo Room"
New Discoveries for the Mysterious and Beautiful "Bamboo Room"
This tiny gem of a room usually causes gasps when visitors see it for the first time.
Our first clue of its date of origin came when Dr. Elissa Rodkey, a historian of psychology, came to visit.
She exclaimed "Bluebirds!" when she saw the bright blue birds painted among the flowers on the bamboo panels.
Dr. Rodkey remembered that Milicent Shinn noted these bluebirds in her baby observation notebook for Ruth Shinn - in 1892! The house was built in 1876, so some time between 1876 and 1892, the wall covering appeared.
During this time, there was a craze for Japanese decor and decorations.
Referred to as "Joe's Room" in 1892 in Milicent Shinn's notes
Referred to as "Joe's Room" in 1892 in Milicent Shinn's notes
The house was built in 1876, so most likely the screens were purchased after 1876 and before 1892.
Milicent Shinn's notes about the birds on the "Japanese wall-covering" in "Joe's Room."
Toddler Ruth called the blue birds "Boo bĩby." This note is from May 18, 1892. Dr. Rodkey knew that translated to Bluebird!
Joe Shinn
Are the birds and flowers Japanese? Chinese? Californian?
Are the birds and flowers Japanese? Chinese? Californian?
We've found some to look like Japanese birds. But if it was painted in China, perhaps there is some overlap.
California birds? One looks like a Wilson's Warbler. Painted here in California?
What is this wall covering - bamboo? reed? a combination of materials?
What is this wall covering - bamboo? reed? a combination of materials?
Professor Shibata of Japan thought that the bamboo was not necessarily Japanese. He suggested a tropical clumpting bamboo,so not from Japan?
In between the whole and split bamboo is a more reedy kind of material. He did not suggest what that was.
He said that he may have seen something like this in Fiji!
In Need of Repair!
In Need of Repair!
The bamboo panels are falling apart after so many years and we have started to find out more about them in order to preserve them.
Are they Japanese? Chinese? Californian?
What are the paint pigments? Are they toxic - lead, arsenic, cadmium, or?
How can the bamboo sticks be re-sewn?
If the bamboo wall-covering came from the SF Bay Area where would they have gotten it? TBD!
If the bamboo wall-covering came from the SF Bay Area where would they have gotten it? TBD!
What could you buy around that time that was available in the SF Bay Area?
What could you buy around that time that was available in the SF Bay Area?
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