Old German Printie Large Church

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:10 pm

This had been given to me by Carolyn Clement in pieces and when I realized all the pieces were there but in panels I began to look for some windows that would look nice in it. I finally found some acetate sheet windows that were intended to be used in a ceramic church that hobbyists make. So the windows in this are not original and can likely be found on eBay as I did. But they started me on my restoration. Paul had asked for me to send dimensions and I have done so. It took quite a while to do this so if anyone sees a dimension I have missed please let me know as I can post it. This old church is made of heavy card in places such as the top of the base cardboard and the attic floor/ceiling ( 7 1/8" X 5") which ties the roof together. The attic floor has a 2 5/8" square hole as a vent for the candle. But you aren't REALLY going to put a lighted candle in there - ARE you?!
The roof and floor panels are a standard gage of card but about twice as heavy as cereal box card.
The bottom of the base is a piece of pine (now warped, to bad they didn't finish it to keep moisture out of it) This board is 3/16" thick and the perimeter of the base is decorated with pieces of luffha sponge glued to the front edge of the base and painted over. In addition there is a twig tree close to the door !
The base and roofs are a white matte paint whose only ornamentation is Diamond Dust Glass Glitter. (This is also true of the luffha pieces.)

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:11 pm

The belfry is interesting in that there are slots in the roof that accommodate it and it is completely removable and can be put inside the church when stored. These slots are about 2mm wide and 1 5/6" long. There are two of these slots centered on each side of the roof.
In the belfry is a little steel brass plated bell suspended from the ceiling of the belfry and even has a tiny little clapper. Likely a drop of solder on a thin wire. No it is a noiseless bell and the clapper doesn't make it ring. Such bells should not be to hard to locate and this one is about 1/2" high and the open part is about 1/2" as well.

The dome and pinnacle seems to be turned from a single block of wood. The rest is cardboard.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:15 pm

Please ask any questions you may have and I will try to answer them.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:18 pm

In this set of photos you can see some of the hidden things such as the attic floor and looking through the two holes we can see the windows and the traces of the printed very elaborate original translucent onion skin windows that was totally gone. They would have been pretty neat and there was even some red in it as that was behind the front door.

Notice also the little wooden turned candle socket. When used like this can we NOT say this was a conflagration waiting to happen?

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:18 pm

The following sets of photos are with dimensions so that Paul can print off this and make one. The overall height of mine was 14". I would make a suggestion that you should make the roof & building first before making the tower as it has to fit in the slots. It only goes into the slots one way on mine.

Just a note on printing. The white window and door frames are part of the printing just as are the corner blocks. But the approximately 3/4" wide bottom border on the one wall as well as the top boarder on the wall are separate prints that were pasted on. The glossy wood grained door is also a separate printing and there is little brass jewelry finding glued to the front of the door. I think the printing was done on a sort of salmon pink paper that was glued to the cardstock.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 9:13 pm

I looked again and the window and door frames are indeed a white paper glued to the walls and are about 3/16"wide.

The beginning of the sloped walk starts about 1/8" in front of the door and proceeds to a bit behind the base wall about 1/4" in from the edge of the wood base.