Gateway Redevelopment Group Davenport, IA

For Immediate Release January 16, 2007

Davenport Home Showcases Historic Handmade Wallpapers

Gold Coast Home Open to the Public One Day Only

On Sunday, January 28^th, the circa 1872 Hahn House at 624 W. 5^th Street in Davenport will feature a display of handmade historic wallpapers reproduced by the home’s owner, Duane Timm. The public is invited to the opening, which will be held from 1-4PM. The home is located near the corner of Gaines and 5^th Streets.

The rooms are papered in designs ranging from a French pattern originating around 1810, to French and American patterns from the 1840’s, 1860’s and 1890’s, to a kitschy kitchen print from the 1950’s. The tour of the home is free. In lieu of an entry fee, visitors are invited to make a donation to Gateway Redevelopment Group, a not-for-profit organization that is restoring buildings in the neighborhood.

Timm has reproduced wallpapers for historic buildings at the Henry Ford Museum, Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Living History Farms, as well as the Terrace Hill, home of the Iowa Governor. Wallpaper created by Timm was also featured in Francesca’s home in “The Bridges of Madison County”; the same pattern papers the hallway at 624 W. 6^th Street.

Reproducing historic patterns often means meticulous re-cutting of the silk screens used to print the patterns since the number of times the silk can be used is limited and the fabric can be damaged over time. Typically, each pattern uses a number of individual screens. Patterns can include as many as twelve different ink colors. All aspects of reproducing the patterns and printing of the wallpaper are done by hand by Mr. Timm. His collection includes about 250 patterns. He has personally recreated 50 different designs.

In 1992, Timm purchased Bassett and Vollum, a Chicago & Galena-based wallpaper company that had been in business for almost 60 years. In the 1940’s and 50’s, the company became well known across the country for its cutting edge designs. It also drew inspiration from its collection of French handblocked wallpaper designs dating from the 1790’s to the 1840’s; the company had purchased the rights to these designs in 1940 prior to the fall of Paris to the Nazis.

Timm first became acquainted with Bassett and Vollum when he toured the Galena home of one of the owners. It featured wallpaper called “Les Beaux Rouges,” reportedly first inspired in the 19^th Century after the French court received a visit from a Native American who had accompanied William Clark, of Lewis and Clark fame, on a tour of Europe.

The beneficiary of the Sunday Open House, Gateway Redevelopment Group, is currently restoring two buildings in the neighborhood: The Jipp Home and Grocery at 732 Gaines Street and a house located at 822 Gaines. The mission of the 501 (c) 3 organization is: “ Uniting community resources of volunteer service, professional expertise, and financial assets to save abandoned buildings in our neighborhood.”

For more information on the Hahn House display, contact Duane Timm at 563-323-4077 or bigdaddydtimm@yahoo.com.

For information on Gateway Redevelopment Group go to www.grgdavenport.org, or contact Jack Haberman at 563-326-3290 or ars@grgdavenport.org.