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By being able to determine the fragment's date and Madison-era location, details from the fragment could be used to design the chair rails for Mr. Madison’s Room, the North Passage, the Large Bedroom and the Small Bedroom.  Additionally, when the fragment’s paint was analyzed only one layer of ca. 1812 paint was found.  Having a large, exposed patch of ca. 1812 trim paint gave paint conservator Susan Buck a great sample to use when developing a color match for the reproduction paint that replicated the original ca. 1812 trim paint.  Finally, because the fragment dated to ca. 1797 but only had ca. 1812 paint on it, it revealed that portions of the ca. 1797  trim had not been painted until ca. 1812.  Normally this would be unusual, but because it is known that President Madison did not finish the interior of the ca. 1797 addition until ca. 1812, it is not surprising that some of the interior trim was also left unpainted.
 

2m

The restored and repainted chair rail in the Large Bedroom.  The color of the paint was based off of evidence found on the ca. 1797 chair rail fragment recovered during the Restoration.