Peach Damask Wallpaper

James Rundlet ordered seven different wallpaper patterns and complimentary borders directly from London to decorate his new home on September 3, 1807, while the construction of his house was being completed. Rundlet kept detailed accounts of the building expenses for his impressive three-story house, as can be seen by the invoice below. Of the total construction cost of $12,604.47, approximately $283 was spent on 112 rolls of wallpaper. The paper and border identified as “Peach Damask” and “Paris Flock Border” on the shipping invoice were hung in the best parlor when Henry Bufford was paid for “painting and papering the parlor” in September 1809 and remain on the walls today. 

The flocked border of the parlor wallpaper, an unused sample of it found in the attic of Rundlet-May house is now in the Historic New England collection, and shows a festive tactile approach to the leaves on the floral motif.