Plate 69:  Repairing the damaged corbels, Part 3: a corrective facing-strip for a corbel
(This plate added APR 2004)

Here we see a strip of manila board that has been shaped into the step-like profile of a corbel. The strip is 3/16-inch wide, the same width as the foam-sandwich board from which corbels are fashioned. Thirty-nine such corrective strips will be required in order to repair all the damaged corbels of the battlement. See Plate 67 for the sketch showing the design of the corrective strips. --more--

"You know", the Advisory Aesthetician said to the Artisan, "I find it quite interesting that we need exactly thirty-nine corrective strips, each one looking like a set of steps. Does this fact bear any relation to that movie, 'The 39 Steps'?" "No relation whatever", replied the Artisan. "The fact that we require 39 step-like corrective strips is simply due to the fact that the Black Castle possesses 39 corbels. There were, in fact, three movies that were based upon the famous novel 'The 39 Steps', written by John Buchan in 1915. Which of the three movies are you referring to?" "I believe the movie I saw was directed by Alfred Hitchcock,"  replied the Advisory Aesthetician. "Yes, that was the original movie based upon Buchan's novel, produced in 1935. There were two others, produced in 1959 and 1978. Also, a fourth movie, reported to be a re-make of the 1935 film, was announced in 2004." "Very interesting,"  said the Advisory Aesthetician. Go to top of page