Thin section
From Lynn (2019):
SRHGH1 is a soft red brick that came from the Hermann-Grimma house in the French Quarter of New Orleans. From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although the age of the house dates the brick to the 1830s. This sample is a regular brick, has sharp edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was struck with a wooden striker, which is consistent with the period. The lack of sand in the surface indicates that water was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been hand-made using the soft mud method.
SRHGH1 is a soft red brick that came from the Hermann-Grimma house in the French Quarter of New Orleans. From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick is stamped “BARRE. F,” although documentary research failed to find more about this brickmaker. This sample is a fire brick, has sharp edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was cut with a wire. The lack of sand in the surface indicates that oil was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been produced by extrusion through a type of soft mud machine. However, it is relatively heavier than other bricks in the soft red group and may have been repressed. SRGS1 is also cracked and deformed.”