The Devoted Classicist Speaks

A Garden Room created by John Tackett Design
during a renovation in University Park, Dallas

It is hoped that all in the Baltimore area can join me on the evening of April 12, 2017, at Evergreen Museum & Library, 6:30 pm.  John J. Tackett will speak on the topic of the legendary firm Parish-Hadley and how it served as a training ground for me and dozens of other interior designers and architects.  I will also discuss current trends in residential architecture and design and take audience questions on the subject -- with cocktails and a light supper -- all in the beautiful Bakst Theatre in historic Evergreen Mansion, 4545 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21210.  The event is part of The House Beautiful Lecture Series of Johns Hopkins University.  Advance registration is required.  For more information and tickets, click here.

Merry Christmas, 2015

Sketch by John Tackett for John Tackett Design

Happy holidays to all my Devoted Readers.  2016 will bring many posts that are hoped to be particularly interesting, along with updates of projects by John Tackett Design.  Best wishes to you all! _ John

Parish-Hadley Book Launch

60 East 93rd Street, New York City.
John Russell Pope, architect, completed 1931.
Photo: Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.

October 13, 2015, marked the launch reception for the new book PARISH-HADLEY TREE OF LIFE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY OF THE LEGENDARY DESIGN FIRM by Brian J. McCarthy and Bunny Williams.  The Devoted Classicist, John Tackett, a contributor, was an honored guest along with the thirty others who have a chapter in the book.  The reception was held in the glorious Manhattan townhouse that is home to the noted antiquarian Carlton Hobbs at 60 East 93rd Street.


No sign of commerce marks the entrance to Carlton Hobbs, LLC.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

That block between Madison and Park Avenue is one of my absolute favorites, the site of several of the city's most distinctive townhouses.  Number 60 was designed by architect John Russell Pope and completed in 1931 for Virginia Fair Vanderbilt.  Heir to the fortune her father made from the Comstock Lode and Big Bonanza mine, she was married to William Kissam Vanderbilt, president of the New York Central Railroad, until 1927.  Despite the financial reverses of many during the Great Depression, there were no economic hardships for "Birdie," as her friends called her, who divided her time between this house, another on Long Island, and a third in California. 


The main block of 60 East 93rd Street has three principal floors
with the set-back entrance not seen here.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

The house replaced three rowhouses and was built of limestone.  There are three principal floors but the service areas are on seven stories of shorter ceiling heights within that space.  Originally, there were four 18th century paneled rooms (one was removed by a subsequent owner) with antique parquet floors (replaced after occupation by a school).  Decorative hardware in the antique style was made by Bricard in Paris.


The Dining Room as set up as display space for
antiques offered for sale.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

After Virginia Fair Vanderbilt's death at age 60, the house was bought Bryan and Thelma Foy, she being the very stylish and rich daughter of auto manufacturer Walter Chrysler.  Then the house was occupied by the Romanian Mission to the United Nations before being bought by the Lycee Francais.  Carlton Hobbs bought the 50 room mansion for about $10.5 million in 2002 and spent two years in restoration.  Read more about the house in a past post of Daytonian in Manhattan.


Designers Brian J. McCarthy and Bunny Williams, authors of
PARISH-HADLEY TREE OF LIFE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY OF THE LEGENDARY DESIGN FIRM
address the guests from the staircase at the book launch reception.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

In addition to seeing the interior of the house, it was a great treat to see some of my old friends and colleagues and meet new ones.  In addition to Brian and Bunny, who were there with their respective spouses Danny Sager and John Rosselli, there was Thomas Jayne, Michael Whaley (and wife K.T.), David Kleinberg, Nicholas Miles Pentecost, Libby Cameron, Kim Cruise, Nancy Porter, Carol Cavaluzzo, John Murray, David McMahon, and Paul Engel.  And it was so good to see Mark Ferguson with business partner Oscar Shamamian with their wives Natalie Jacobs and Llewellyn Sinkler.  Parish-Hadley "alumni" after my tenure included Douglas C. Wright, Todd Klein, James Andrew, and Thom Filicia.


A view from the staircase of some of those gathered for the book launch reception.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

It was a great pleasure to see Peter van Hattum the spouse of the late Harold Simmons, my former "boss" who was such a great teacher.  And also attending was former employee from the early days of Parish-Hadley, Suzanne Earls Carr.  Sue introduced me to her guest, Bruce Budd, the esteemed designer who had worked for the late tastemaker Bunny Mellon; what a treat to meet such a talented gentleman!  Also in attendance was former Parish-Hadley client and great friend of Albert Hadley Rene Meyers who is practically part of the alumni group. One of my favorite decorative painters, Chuck Fischer, was there; he also has authored some fantastic pop-up books with his illustrations literally springing to life throughout the book.  And I spoke briefly to author of several books on famous decorators Stephen Salny.  Of course, there were many, many others and I am sure I am leaving someone out.  But it was fun and a good time was had by all.  Thanks to our host Carlton Hobbs and literary marketing & branding agent Jill Cohen with associate Lizzy Hyland.

Decorative Arts Trust

Sketch by John J. Tackett for Decorative Arts Trust.
All rights reserved.

Decorative Arts Trust, a support group for Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, is extending invitations to join its membership with a special offer.  In addition to donating objects for the museum's collection, D.A.T. has an educational program featuring the decorative arts that is remarkable for its mid-America location. See the Decorative Arts Trust website for more information.  (Sorry, but it is Flash driven, so the information is not viewable on an iPhone).  New members will be invited to a reception on September 22, 2011, at the home pictured in my sketch above.  The house was designed by Jackson, Mississippi, architect Lewis Graeber and has just received a complete decoration by Alabama-born Manhattan interior designer Richard Keith Langham.  The Devoted Classicist, as John J. Tackett, is entering his third term as President of the Board of Directors and can vouch for the many worthwhile activities as well as the many interesting members, now numbering about 400.  So those in the Memphis area, in particular, are encouraged to take a look at the website to see the lectures planned for the coming year, as many are open to the public.

Readers of The Devoted Classicist are reminded that full enjoyment of the blog can only be appreciated at the site http://tdclassicist.blogspot.com/.  The only other authorized sources are the FOLLOW BY EMAIL feature which delivers either a mobile version lacking all the auxiliary elements or a desk/laptop version which includes advertising.  At present there is no other authorized publication of the blog, through Facebook or any other media.  So, it is hoped that readers will bookmark the original site and check in every few days for new posts.  Your readership is appreciated!

Follower Appreciation Gift

In grateful appreciation to loyal Followers of The Devoted Classicist blog, a Give-Away drawing will be held next week with the gift being a pair of limited edition prints.  In the process of considering reproduction of some of the original pen-and-ink drawings by John J. Tackett, some prints were made to study size and color.  While these prints are not of the quality of an 18th century engraving, they do have a decorative quality and are signed in pencil and the very, very limited number is indicated.  This pair of prints in the following two images, without the blue watermark lettering of course, will be prize.

Each print would fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame, or larger if matted.  But to enable easy mailing, the prints are neither matted nor framed, so Followers from other countries are also eligible for the drawing. For customs and/or tax reasons, the value of the envelope will be declared as $0 as there will be no comparable prints ever available for sale.

The only qualification to enter the drawing is to be listed as an official Follower in the sidebar at the right. The order of Follower registration is divided into two parts with those having an image and those who do not, so scroll through to verify status.  Those wanting to become a Follower can sign up any time prior to the close of the drawing, Monday, September 19, 2011, at noon Central time;  click on JOIN THIS SITE.  To enter the drawing, Followers can just leave a comment and the pair of prints will be awarded based on a number drawn to correspond with the order of the entry.  Make sure your comment is shown with the same name as your registration as a Follower;  use the name/url option in leaving a comment if necessary to make the identification match.  If you are reading this from the Follow-By-Email version, please be advised that you are not necessarily registered as a Follower and should go directly to the blog site http://tdclassicist.blogspot.com/  to verify status and enter the drawing.  The winner will be revealed in a blog post and asked to send a mailing address to receive the prize.  Thanks to all who are regular readers of this blog, The Devoted Classicist.


New readers will want to visit the selection of books on architecture, interior design, and all the decorative arts available for purchase through The Devoted Classicist Library, in affiliation with Amazon.  For books that were especially selected in conjunction with the Central Gardens Home and Garden Tour, see the Historic District category here.

Central Gardens Home Tour

1785 Harbert Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.

The Devoted Classicist has been a volunteer committee member for a historic district in Memphis, Tennessee, that holds a Home & Garden Tour each year as a fund-raiser for its many worthwhile activities.  In fact, this is the 35th year for the annual tour which often draws a couple of thousand visitors each second Sunday in September.  The tour is the most organized, well-run, all-volunteer function that one could imagine, and it has been a pleasure to work with this group for several years in a row, now.  Along with truly exceptional neighborhood historian Marsha Hayes, I write the guidebook.  There are usually a half dozen homes on the tour, representative of the mostly early twentieth century houses that make up the wonderfully liveable neighborhood, and this year is no exception.  None of the six houses have ever been on the tour before, and the construction dates range from 1910 to 1925.

1743 Harbert Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.

This year's tour is Sunday, September 11, 2011, from 1 pm to 6 pm, with $15 tickets available at any house on the tour.  For more information, see the Central Gardens Association website.

Also, a wonderful newspaper article about this year's tour written by Central Gardens resident James H. Roper appears in today's Memphis Commercial Appeal.

A special selection of books that would be of interest to residents and visitors to the Central Gardens Historic Conservation District are available for purchase through The Devoted Classicist Library .  Many of the books would be of interest to early 20th century historic districts, in general, and owners of Arts & Crafts, Craftsman, European Eclectic, and Colonial Revival houses as well.