Robbins Ashlar - A

Ashlar papers – decorative schemes imitating cut stone – were a fashionable choice for larger public spaces like entry halls and staircases from the early through mid-nineteenth century. Over that period the form grew more elaborate, with imitation stonework eventually incorporating columns, cornices, and panels. Found in an East Lexington, Massachusetts home associated with the Robbins family, this paper dates from the mid-nineteenth century and captures a moment of transition between these two styles.