Southern Folk Artist & Antiques Dealer/Collector: The Ketchum house built 1860; Mobile, Alabama

Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Ketchum house built 1860; Mobile, Alabama

I have had a very lucky day today. Earlier in the day I found a rare pair of Baltimore painted fancy chairs from the Federal period. Latter today after mass I was invited to the Cathedral Rectory for a reception for the Catholic Physicians of Mobile, Alabama. The Rectory is a building I have wanted to get into since I saw it as a child. Owned by the Catholic Church since 1906 as home to the Bishop of Mobile.

The Ketchum house built 1860; Mobile, Alabama

The Ketchum house built 1860; Showing side main entrance Mobile, Alabama

Detail of cast iron known as frozen lace in Mobile.

Originally built in 1860 as the Home of William Ketchum and family. At the time it was built it was one of the finest examples of the Italianate style in residential architecture in Mobile, Alabama. The mansion was unusual in that the main entrance was to the side of the home because the front boosted a large ornate ballroom that ran the with of the front of the house. Outside the home has a low-pitched hipped roof supported by ornate cast iron corbels on a paneled cornice. A angled bay window sat in the front of the home and was the middle part of the large grand ballroom. White stucco quoins on the ends of the outside walls of blonde slave made Mobile brick. The house is covered with ornate Rococo Revival cast iron verandas looking like frozen lace.

1934 photos of the Ketchum house from the Historic American Buildings Survey

At the time the Ketchum house was built in Mobile in 1860 the population within the city limits had reached 29,258 people; it was the 27th largest city in the United States and 4th largest in what would soon be the Confederate States of America. By 1840 Mobile was second only to New Orleans in cotton exports in the nation making Mobile a rich place to be. Mobile was the last major Confederate city to fall as it was not until August 5, 1864 when the Union tuck possession of Mobile Bay. On 12 April 1865, 3 days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, the city of Mobile surrendered to the Union army to avoid destruction following the Union victories at the Battle of Spanish Fort and the Battle of Fort Blakely. The Ketchum house was confiscated by General ERS Canby and used as his headquarters. At this time Mr. Ketchum was away and Miss Ketchum and children were asked to leave there newly built and expensively furnished home in the latest fashion. They moved across the street to a Vacant house.

1934 photo of the Ketchum house cast iron gate from the Historic American Buildings Survey

Upon entering the home. I found it was well preserved. The main entrance today is from the back. You enter a cross shaped hall covered in 1950's tiles. The hall leads into the first floor public rooms. Also I could see the stair leading down into the basement. Basements are rare in Mobile due to flooding. The height of the rooms on the first floor is about 16 feet. Each room had a different ornate plaster cornice. The front room was used as a triple parlor with only narrow cast-iron columns separating the 3 part room. I noticed a foundry mark on the base of one of the columns but did not want to bend down to see what firm made them. This room could also be used as a Ballroom. Mobile was known for it's balls, even during the war between the states Mobile gave grand balls. It had a bay window framed with Ruby red Bohemian etched glass. The main entrance also had the same pattern of Ruby glass. There were three large ornate ceiling medallions in the parlor now hung with 1950's crystal chandeliers. I sure they would have original had gilt gasoliers now long gone. This room has one of the most beautiful cornice moldings I have ever seen. It was large and had roses and Magnolia blossoms and leaves I sure custom made just for this house. I did not like the Capodimonte colors they painted the details of this cornice in. On ether end of the room was a pair of White Marble mantels with over the top large Rococo Revival mantel mirrors facing each other making the large room look bigger. The furniture that could be original to the home was circa 1860 French Napoleon lll Rococo Revival rosewood sofas and chairs with a 1850's square piano turned into a table in the middle of the room. Portraits of Mobile's Bishops looked down on me along with 18th century Old Master religionist paintings of sorrowful saints. I got there early so I snapped a few shots of the interior.