February, 1919 
21 
and the manner of panel arrangement 
affords an approximate index to date, 
just as do the cut of clothes or any 
other phenomena of style evolution. 
^Measurements of stiles and rails vary 
according to panel arrangement and 
can best be studied in that connection. 
In the late 17th Century and early 
18th Century (c. 1665-c. 1725) one 
common arrangement had four or two 
panels of nearly equal size, double 
doors having two panels in each leaf, 
single doors either four or two ac¬ 
cording to width of doorway. An¬ 
other arrangement common at the 
same time had six panels (double 
doors three in each leaf); two small 
at the top, two long below, and two 
{Continued on page 60) 
{Left) Doorway to “Mt. Pleas¬ 
ant”, Philadelphia, showing the 
heavy classical lines oj the frame 
and pediment, with sturdy panels 
in the door itself relieved by a 
carved light 
wise. The division lines between the 
boards, especially if one edge is 
beaded, contribute the chief decora¬ 
tive interest. The type is severe but 
full of dignity and impressive in its 
setting which generally consists of a 
narrow and simply molded frame, 
oftentimes with a narrow transom of 
small rectangular panes. Such a 
heading relieves the severity of a suc¬ 
cession of vertical lines. If there be 
any external overdoor feature beside 
the transom, it is the plainest kind ol 
rectilinear pediment hood. This 
t>’pe of door occurred frequently in 
very early dwellings and was also 
much used in old meeting houses. It 
is easy and inexpensive to make and 
can be fitted to any size of doorway 
without reference to the stock sizes of 
millwork. 
Paneled doors and shutters exhibit 
great diversity of comp>osition and 
consequently a wide variety of inter¬ 
est. Different fashions of paneling 
doors prevailed at different periods 
The door of Gloria 
Dei Church in Phila¬ 
delphia presents a 
study in the regular 
paneling of the early 
IWi Century. A 
stately style in a 
stately frame 
An eight panel door 
is found at “Cliv- 
den”, Germantown. 
It is 071 exa7nple of 
the 7)iid-lSth Cen¬ 
tury. Doors are 
narrow and pro¬ 
tected by shutters 
A late \1th Century 
four panel door is 
found at the Mo¬ 
ravian Sisters’ 
House, Bethlehem, 
Pa. The overdoor 
light is unusual in 
such work 
