MOLDING HISTORY
     Molding is used to decorate structural elements and create ornamental effects with light and shadow. Ancient Greeks used molding in their buildings to divide surfaces into smaller parts to create visual interest, generally basing their profiles on the ellipse, parabola or hyperbola. Romans simplified the moldings of the Greeks, basing their profiles instead on the circle. These two styles of molding evolved into eight classical shapes of molding, derived from complex moldings which have irregular curvatures, and simple moldings which are formed from a continuous curve such as the arc of a circle. These profiles became the basic building blocks of interior ornament for centuries.
     Until the middle of the 1800's, most molding in America was made on the building site by carpenters who used hand planes, chisels and gouges. Wide pieces of trim, such as crown molding, were made in woodworking shops where large planes were pulled by apprentices under the guidance of master artisans. Depending on the size and style of a building, molding could be used to ornament almost all the interior architectural elements.
     By the 1850's planning machines had been developed to produce molding on a large scale, at a much lower cost than handmade molding.  This made elaborate and sophisticated ornamentation available to all who wanted it in their homes. Carpenters combined the machine made moldings to create an infinite variety of complex three-dimensional profiles. Molding profiles could be easily changed with the fashion, and not only reflected the prevailing style of the time, but become a significant element of the styles of the decorate.

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