Thank you very much for the suggestion.  As it turns out I work in the NY
SHPO and I led the tour that Peter Rockwell (sculptor son of Norman
Rockwell) gave that day.  I guided through the building, he talked about the
stone carving.  One of the master carvers, Louis Hinton, wrote a memoir at
the end of his life discussing his work at the capitol.  In particular he
bemoaned the lack of skill and craftsmen ship evident in the stone work
being done at the time (1920s).  He complained about the introduction of
pneumatic-owered chisels, but I also wonder whether he, as an Englishman,
felt the Italian stonecarvers working at that period weren't as good as he
and his compatriots.  Three years ago I wrote a chapter on the Albany stone
carvers for the "Guide to Albany Architecture" published by Mt. Ida Press.
I am always on the lookout for more documented info on stonecarvers since so
much of there work was annonymous.  did you know that there were so many
stone carvers working in Albany in the early 1800s that Latrobe sent to
Albany to hire journeyman for work on the U.S. Capitol?  I have a ledger
from the principle stonecarver in Albany 1802-1820, a Scotsman named Peter
McNab (most of the stonecarvers on the White House were also Scottish).  One
of his cutters left Albany as a journeyman, and returned 8 years later as a
master carver in his own right.  I haven't determined yet whether he was one
of themen who went to Washington for that work or not.
Anyway, its a passion of mine, and I appreciate any suggestions and lead,
even the ones I know about, because you might just come up with one I don't
know about.
Michael 'stoned again'

-----Original Message-----
From: Marilyn Harper <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 8:34 AM
Subject: Building Stone Research


>     Michael--
>
>     Some time ago, a fairly large book was published on the New York State
>     capitol in Albany, at the time of its restoration.  There is an
article in
>     it on the stone carvers, written by a stone carver.  I think it was
fairly
>     focused on the techniques and details of the carvings, but there may
have
>     been other info that might be useful.  Also, I have a feeling that it
was
>     based on fairly detailed records that gave names, etc., for the
workmen.
>
>     New York State Historic Preservation Office might have citation or
know
>     where a copy might be found, if you want to see the book.
>
>     Marilyn Harper
>     National Register of Historic Places
>     (which is in no way responsible for the content of this message)