How They Decorated

The cover of P.Gaye Tapp's new book
features a delightful 1937 watercolor by Cecil Beaton
depicting Harrison and Mona Williams in their
Palm Beach, Florida, living room
decorated by Syrie Maugham.

P. Gaye Tapp, author of the blog Little Augury, has just released a wonderful new book HOW THEY DECORATED, INSPIRATION FROM GREAT WOMEN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.  It is not a book about Lady Decorators, but about the women whose personal style influenced interior design, sometimes working with a design legend, but other times working on their own.

Evangeline Bruce's Georgetown townhouse is one of three
residences discussed.  Here, the Drawing Room features a
pair of Gothick chairs that had belonged to decorating
legend Nancy Lancaster.
Photo: Horst P. Horst, Architectural Digest.

The book is organized into four sections.  "Legacy Styles" features a chapter each on Lady Diana Cooper, Evangeline Bruce, Louise de Vilmovin, and Sybil Connoly.  "In the Grand Manner" presents the interior of the homes of Helene Rochas, Gabrielle van Zuylen, Mona Harrison von Bismark, and Pauline de Rothschild.  "Fashionably Chic" shows the residences of the fashion plates Babe Paley, Elsa Schiaperelli, Fleur Cowles, and Pauline Trigere.  And the final section, "Unconventional Eye" discusses Bunny Mellon, Dominique de Menil, Georgia O'Keffe, and Lesley Blanch.



The Dining Room in the Paris home of Helene Rochas
is arranged for intimate comfort with elegant fauteuils
that formerly belonged to the style-setter Carlos de Beistegui.
The trompe-l'oeil panel over the mantel was painted by
Alexandre Serebriakoff.
Photo: Pascal Hinous, Architectural Digest.

Charlotte Moss, a successful interior designer in her own right, provides an insightful Introduction.  The text is generously supplemented with an invaluable cache of drawings and reference photographs, plus delightful watercolor illustrations by Jimmie Henslee created especially for the book.

The Grand Salon of Elsa Schiaparelli's
eighteen-room apartment on rue de Berri,
Paris, exhibits a folding screen
commissioned from Christian Berard.
Photo:Hans Wild, The Life Picture Collectiion/Getty Images

The Devoted Classicist has read the book cover-to-cover and throroughly enjoyed it.  All interested in the history of decorative arts are sure to appreciate HOW THEY DECORATED published by Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., the source of all images used here.

The Anteroom between the Living Room and Dining Room
of Bunny Mellon's New York City townhouse provided
a transition space between the two decorating schemes.
Photo: Michael Dunne, The Oak Spring Garden Foundation.
 

Bunny Mellon: Chic Chaises

A detail of Bunny Mellon's chairs,
Lot 1301, Sale N09247.
Sotheby's, New York.

The Devoted Classicist has long wanted to present a series of posts about great chairs and their stylish owners, so here goes, starting with a remarkable set of seven black-japanned, parcel-gilt decorated dining chairs from the 1760s together with one armchair of a later date.  Although quite familiar to those interested in the decorative arts, the chairs have been brought into the spotlight as Lot 1301 in the auction of the estate of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, November 21 to 23, 2014, Sotheby's New York.


Bunny Mellon's set of 'loop' chairs.
Lot 1301, Sale NO9247.
Sotheby's, NY.
Estimated: $60,000 to $80,000.
Sold: $181,000 (with buyer's premium).

In the provenance listed in the catalog, Sotheby's failed to mention a former owner whose name would have added even more prestige: Nancy Lancaster one of the great decorators of the twentieth-century and business partner of John Fowler in the legendary firm Colefax & Fowler.



The chairs as they appeared in
DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH FURNITURE.
Image via Emily Evans Eerdmans



As documented in an article by Shax Riegler in the January, 2009 issue of "The Magazine Antiques," the chairs were formerly owned by noted collector Frank Green, and illustrated in A HISTORY OF ENGLISH FURNITURE by Percy MacQuoid, first published in four volumes from 1904 to 1908.  (The chairs also appeared in the DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH FURNITURE, FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE LATE GEORGIAN PERIOD.) 


A chair from the same set appears when
"Country Life" magazine publishes photos
of the home of founder Edward Burgess Hudson
at 15 Queen's Gate, London.
Image via Country Life Picture Library.

By the early 1920s, the chairs were owned by Edward Burgess Hudson, founder of "Country Life," the magazine where MacQuoid was employed as a columnist.  Hudson died in 1936 and sometime in the mid-1930s, the chairs were acquired by his London neighbors on Queen Anne's Gate, Ronald and Nancy Tree.


The Yellow Bedroom at Ditchley Park
showing one of the side chairs.
Watercolor by Alexandre Serebriakoff.

After their divorce, Mrs. Tree became better known as Nancy Lancaster after her next marriage, with the chairs remaining at their grand country house Ditchley Park.  Two wonderful sets of watercolors were commissioned from Alexandre Serebriakoff as a record of Nancy and Ronald's decorating, and the chairs can be seen in the Yellow Bedroom and the Writing Room.


The Writing Room at Ditchley Park
showing the antique armchair.
Watercolor by Alexandre Serebriakoff.

With the sale of Ditchley Park, the chairs went to the Manhattan townhouse of Ronald and his second wife Marietta Tree.  Presumably they remained in New York until the auction following Ronald Tree's death as they appear on the cover of the October, 1976 Sotheby Parke Bernet auction catalog.


Cover of the 1976 auction catalog
showing two of the side chairs.
Image via Emily Evans Eerdmans.

The "Antiques" article stated that the chairs were bought by the London antiques dealer Mallet and appeared in both MALLET'S GREAT ENGLISH FURNITURE and MALLET MILLENNIUM: FINE ANTIQUE FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART.  In the 2009 article, Mallet's revealed that they had made the second arm chair and that the chairs were in a private American collection.


A Mellon arm chair, Lot 1301,
as it was displayed in the pre-sale exhibition.
Photo courtesy of Christopher Spitzmiller

The light graceful curves were made feasible through an innovative use of laminated beechwood.  The lacquered (or japanned) chinoiserie finish adds to the fanciful design but also conceals the layered construction.  However, the go-to craftsman for remarkable new ceramic lamps, Christopher Spitzmiller, said the chairs had a bit of "give" to the touch, making them more of an art object rather than chairs that were actually sat in for regular use.  Also noteworthy is the dipped or "saddle" seat, a characteristic found in other examples of the mid-1760s.


Views of the pre-sale exhibition at Sotheby's
showing the display of the eight chairs of Lot 1301.
Photo courtesy of Christopher Spitzmiller.

There is another chapter to come in the story of these chairs, of course, now that there is a new owner.  But, in addition, these chairs inspired a 20th century interpretation popularized by Frances Adler Elkins.  That will be another post of The Devoted Classicist.

And Furthermore

 

The Devoted Classicist has been a fan of the late Rachel "Bunny" Mellon since her contributions to the gardens at the White House.  Starting with the Rose Garden in 1961 and then the East Garden, dedicated as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden in 1965, the heiress (Listerine) who married into an even larger fortune attracted attention in the community of those appreciating the mix of the formal and informal in residential garden design.  In the early 1990s, an Attingham classmate who was a foundation employee working from the Brick House gave me some insight into the then-relatively-private Mellons and their 4,000 acre estate (now about 2,000 acres listed for sale with 40 structures for $70 million) Oak Spring Farm near Upperville, Virginia. 

Auction catalogs can be an invaluable resource for studying (both fine and) the decorative arts.  However, interior views shown in catalogs are routinely rearranged to give a better representation of the lots offered; too seldom are they an accurate record of the original setting.  Nor can the descriptions be counted on as 100% accurate, even in the most prestigious and expensive catalogs.

Despite declarations from self-appointed tastemakers and arbiters of style/design that traditional decoration is passé, there has been a media frenzy surrounding Interiors, the three day auction of the furnishings from the estate of the late Mrs. Mellon with proceeds to benefit the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation, a horticultural foundation which will continue to operate the library at Oak Spring.  While it is true that spare, neutral, do-it-yourself schemes still remain the most popular trend in interior design, clearly there is still interest in antiques and decoration among those in-the-know.  This successful sale is a reminder that one should follow one's own taste and not what is the so-called current fashion.

Mellon-White Townhouse, Another Manhattan Landmark For Sale

The Mellon-White townhouse
entrance from the sidewalk
125 East 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

The most popular of all the posts of The Devoted Classicist is a selection of fabulous New York City private residences titled Landmark Manhattan Townhouses For Sale.  This post is a sequel, one might say, presenting one of the most remarkable townhouses for sale, highly suitable for anyone wanting "a little place in the city."


The Mellon-White townhouse
at 125 East 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

Long one of this writer's favorite townhouses, 125 East 70th Street, is the dream home for the most discerning traditionalist city dweller.  Completed in 1966 for the philanthropist, art collector and banking heir Paul Mellon and his second wife, Rachel "Bunny" Lambert Mellon, a noted gardener and philanthropist in her own right, still alive at this writing at age 103, the French style townhouse was an instant landmark.  It was their pied a terre in Manhattan, their main residence being a 4,000 acre estate in Upperville, Virginia where Mrs. Mellon still lives (to be featured in a future post).  Architect H. Page Cross designed the house that replaced two typical late 19th-century brownstones.  It was an usual project at the time when affluent families were relocating to the fashionable suburbs.  "Storm" shutters were concealed within the thickness of the exterior walls, pulling down inside the coquina stone trim around the French doors and casement windows;  a steel plate can automatically slide to block the front door to make it difficult to penetrate the urban fortress.


The Basement, Ground Floor and Second Floor
Plans as they appear in the 2013 real estate
offering by Sotheby's International Realty.

One of the distinctive features is the wall along the sidewalk that creates a south-facing garden at the entrance, as seen in the first image.  A second gate is the service entrance, originally tended by a concierge that also served as a security guard (with quarters marked Guest/Staff Bedroom on the plan).


View to the Entrance Foyer
of the Mellon-White townhouse
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo:  World of Interiors.

The scale and architectural detailing, along with the original decoration, is exceptional, providing the "quiet quality" that the Mellons desired.  For example, that the wood floors are painted to resemble stone is an artistic statement rather than a budget compromise.


The lattice covered vestibule leading to
the rear garden, as it appeared in 2013.
Photo:  Private Collection.

A more distant view to the Entrance Foyer,
from a lattice covered vestibule.
The cove lighting is not illuminated.
Photo:  World of Interiors.
 

Treillage is used as an effective wallcovering to establish a mood, here as a transition to the rear garden.  Lattice also currently covers some of the walls in the basement.


A Powder Room on the Ground Floor
retains its original painted fretwork decoration.
Photo:  World of Interiors.



The Library at 125 E 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

What might appear to be a peculiar detail today was originally intended as a special consideration to show the Mellons' magnificent art collection to full advantage, but in an understated way seldom seen in new residential installations now.  Note the absence of recessed spotlights or other specialty art lighting, for example. The lighted bookcases were added by the current owners.


The rear garden of the Mellon-White
townhouse in 2013.
The lily pool was added by the current owners.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

The wide rear garden is an unusual treat in Manhattan.  The Library, Drawing Room, and His Bedroom are among the rooms that benefit from the outdoor space.


The Main Staircase at 125 E 70th Street
as it appears in 2013.
Photo:  World of Interiors.

According to the November, 2013, issue of World of Interiors, the wrought iron stair balustrade of the main staircase was copied from a Jack Lemmon film.  Four Bonnard paintings once hung on the walls now covered with toile de jouy.


The Kitchen/Breakfast Room in 2013.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

The whole second floor was originally dedicated to service and staff areas.  This floor appears to have been completely renovated by the current owners, making it more family-friendly.


The Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth
Floor Plans as they appear in the 2013
offering by Sotheby's International Realty.

The Third Floor is luxuriously devoted to two principal rooms and a large south-facing terrace.


The Third Floor Gallery in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

From the stairs or the elevator, when arriving at the Third Floor, one first enters an enchanting Gallery. acting as an orienting space before entering the Drawing Room, Terrace or anteroom to the Dining Room.  The wood floor painted as faux marbre is exceptional as are the walls painted as trompe l'oeil boiserie.  Note the frieze of tassels painted below the cornice.


The Drawing Room of 125 E 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

The Drawing Room overlooks the rear garden to the north and the Terrace with the Gallery seen on the right in the photo above.  Although the original decoration was done in consultation with legendary designer John Fowler of Colefax and Fowler, many Devoted Readers will know that Fowler never visited the United States.  Instead, the Mellons sent painters Paul Leonard and William Strom to London for two weeks of training, the magazine article states, and the decorating was carried out by mail.  Although the yellow walls of the Drawing Room are an homage to Nancy Lancaster's famous room at 22 Avery Row, the glazed walls as they appear here were done as specified by the current owners, the article also says.  A long list of decorators had a hand in the designs for the Mellons over the years with the last being Bruce Budd.  (Some might object that the townhouse lacks one critical amenity, a garage.  This was not really a problem for the Mellons who owned a handsome old limestone-fronted carriage house nearby that had the capacity for 12 cars.  Budd had a chic apartment above, making him available for decorating consultation as needed.  Designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert, the East 70th Street carriage house sold for $13.5 in 2009;  read more about it here).


The wood floor in the Anteroom
of the Mellon-White townhouse
at 125 East 70th Street in 2013.
Photo:  Private Collection.

One of the most charming of these wood floors painted by Paul Leonard is in the Anteroom leading into the Dining Room.  Note that the pattern follows the joints of the planks in the length with scored lines across the width to give the effect of tiles.  It is an excellent example of appropriate scale, pattern and color to link the adjacent Gallery and Dining Room.


The Dining Room as it appears in 2013.
Mellon-White townhouse.
Photo:  World of Interiors.

When the real estate photos of the townhouse starting appearing in the blogs a few weeks ago, there was speculation about many things, especially the walls and floor of the Dining Room.  Being somewhat familiar with the house and the contributions of Colefax & Fowler and Paul Leonard, The Devoted Classicist offered some factual information, only to later receive notice that speculators thoroughly disputed my comments on the other blogs; so much for trying to educate the "experts."  In any case, the floor is indeed painted to resemble marble as is the baseboard and dado (difficult to see in this photo).  The walls are painted with a blue cross-hatched glaze that was formulated to compliment the major painting by Homer that the Mellons owned.  Legendary decorator Billy Baldwin added the sheets of beveled mirrors.  An adjacent pantry acts as a serving kitchen and a small staircase gives access to the main kitchen below.


The Front Master Bedroom
of the Mellon-White townhouse in 2013.
Photo:  World of Interiors.

There are two Master Bedrooms on the Fourth Floor with the front assumed to have been used by Mrs. Mellon.  The walls are lined with painted wood paneling in the transitional Louis XV/XVI style and the floor has a Colefax & Fowler carpet, a replacement of the same during the Mellon occupancy according to the article.  An east-facing balcony overlooks the terrace below with the lattice on the common wall extending to filter the view beyond.


The view in 2013 from the balcony down to the
Third Floor Terrace of 125 E 70th Street.
Photo:  Sotheby's International Realty.

Fortunately, the current owners kept many of the bathrooms intact.  This, assumed to have been Mrs. Mellon's, is exceedingly charming.  Of special note are the antique Delft tiles facing the bathtub.  The walls, including concealed doors, are covered with printed fabric especially hand-blocked in Wales for Colefax & Fowler, according to the WoI article. 


Views in 2013 of the bathroom assumed to have
originally been used by Mrs. Mellon
at 125 East 70th Street.
Photo:  World of Interiors.

The bedroom on the rear of the Fourth Floor, then, was assumed to have been used by Mr. Mellon.  It is a handsome space with a coved ceiling and a fireplace (not shown) opposite the bed.


The Rear Bedroom on the Fourth Floor
of the Mellon-White townhouse, 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.


According to various on-line reports, Stribling & Associates listed the Mellons' townhouse for sale for $26.5 million in August 2005 and it sold early in 2006 for $24.5 million or $22.5 million with reports varying.  The buyers were Clare and Tony White.  The Whites had bought their townhouse across the street at 118 East 70th Street in 1998 for $6.05 million and sold it in 2006 for $25.6 million to actor/director Woody Allen.  Mr. White is an Irish businessman who founded Abacus Direct, a consumer data company that he sold for $1.7 billion.  The Whites hope to repeat their success in real estate by selling their present home at 125 East 70th Street for $46 million.  The listing through Sotheby's International Realty, including more photos and a video, may be viewed here.