1:35 Basa s věšákem

A piece that does not date a scene by itself

The plank furnishings of barrack rooms, guardhouses and barrack corridors changed only slowly from the turn of the century to the 1950s. Rough joinery, cast-iron hooks and plain fittings stayed in service for decades, so the same piece stood in a room just as well in 1938 as in 1948. For a builder there is a practical conclusion in that: the period is set by the contents of the room, not by its furnishings.

How the period is recognized

What decides is what hangs on the hook. A greatcoat with a high collar, a gas mask pouch, a helmet or a side cap will move a scene to a specific army and year more reliably than the shape of the piece itself. The floor beneath it speaks just as clearly: the trampled earth of a makeshift barrack room looks quite different from the oiled planks of a garrison building.

The wear it pays to study

Furnishings in daily use age unevenly. The edges lighten where they are rubbed away, dark smears from damp greatcoats stay around the hooks, and boots and heels scuff the lower rails. Paint peels from the edges while the middle of a surface lasts longest. It is therefore worth painting in two layers: a darker wood tone under the paint, which is then worn through in places.

Building it

The castings call for the casting block to be removed with a saw and for degreasing before painting. The etched parts are bent on a crisp edge over a metal ruler and glued with super glue. It is better to settle the assembly in only after the walls and the floor are painted, or it will be hard to reach behind it with a brush and the joints will be left unfinished.