In a message dated 5/26/01 4:38:05 PM, Griff63@hotmail.com writes: << Greetings to all! My relative is listed on the 1883-1889 Danville city directory as a moulder. What type of profession is this? I was told by family members that he was a blacksmith. Thanks, >> Hi all, In the time period that you are discussing, there are several possibilities, among which was the artisans who made the fancy mouldings which decorated the ceilings and walls of many of the victorian houses. The moulders would make a trough where they would place wet plaster, and then drag a tool which was cut into the profile of a decorative moulding along the trough to shape the plaster into a three-dimensional design. When these dried or hardened, the mouldings would then be plastered into place with some additional wet plaster. This replaced the wooden mouldings of crown moldings that had been used in earlier days. Some very elegant and extravagant mouldings were produced by this method. John Fox Winston Salem, NC