which was being gutted and rehabbed, and turned into an art gallery (Currently Verdigris Tea and Gallery).
Some of the oldest papers I have ever found were entombed behind the sheetrock in the stairwell here,
It was somewhat frustrating, though, as most of the papers were original layers, pasted onto either original plaster or wooden plank walls--- a combo that makes them very difficult to remove and save.
Old papers are often very thin, with thick, chalky, brittle inks.
These blue medallions were stuck on the plaster on the side of the room that probably got a lot of sun. The rest of the paper in the pattern had completely deteriorated, but this part of the pattern clung on over the years.
Many of the walls were like big collages in there.
The unabridged album of my photos and wallpaper scans can be found on my flickr page HERE.
