"I dream't I dwelt in marble halls"
Devoted to the histories and current state of the great mansions of America's Gilded Age.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

" May your Summer be full of Yachts, Mansions & Cocktails "


The above Mansion was a true to life reality. It was the Bar Harbor, Maine summer estate of the Edward T. Stotesbury's. Unfortunately also gone like Whitemarsh Hall and their Palm Beach Home, El Mirasol.

8 comments:

Jeff said...

Part of that great practice of a main house, summer house, and winter house.

If I had one wish, it would be the ability to time travel and walk through these amazing places when they were at their zenith, Wingwood included.

Kevin P said...

How badly was Wingwood damaged by the Bar Harbor Fire? I read it was abandoned and bought for development by the time it was demolished.

The Down East Dilettante said...

First, I just discovered this terrific blog, by way of Old Long Island today, and can see I'll get no work done for the next couple of hours.

Second--where did you discover this wonderful picture? It appears to be from an old ad?

Third, to Kevin P: Wingwood was damaged not at all by the Bar Harbor fire, but by total neglect after the fire. The woman who bought it from Mrs. Stotesbury's estate in 1946 couldn't afford to own it. The garage across the street burned in the 47 fire, and the gardener's cottage, in arts & crafts style surviving from the original estate design, pre Stotesbury, still stands.

Fourth, if I may make so bold, I did a three part about Wingwood on my own blog last year:

1. http://thedowneastdilettante.blogspot.com/2009/12/summer-delirium-colonial-style.html

2. http://thedowneastdilettante.blogspot.com/2009/12/summer-delirium-colonial-style-part-2.html

3. http://thedowneastdilettante.blogspot.com/2009/12/summer-delirium-colonial-style-part-3.html

Fifth, Somewhere, lost in my photo files, I have an ad for Zenitherm Flooring, showing the Entrance Gallery at Wingwood, as endorsed by Mrs. S.

There, I'm done. Is there an award for longest comment? Thanks again. I'm off to explore more of this blog.

Gary Lawrance said...

I loved your post on Wingwood House, it was such an odd house. Those entrance wings really needed more room and the scale gets weird in some areas. I also think El Mirasol for all the raves it gets to be a bit mish mashy too. I think Whitemarsh was one of the most perfect houses ever built. too bad the Stotesbury's didn't have him do all their houses!

The Down East Dilettante said...

Wingwood definitely had scale problems---the transition from main block to wings is just plain old awkward----the various surviving architectural elements from the house are all of superb, absolute first rate quality, too, making the awkward design (the result of trying to save the old Cassatt house rather than building anew, combined with switching architects mid-stream), that much sadder.

And utterly agreed about El Mirasol. Fun in many ways, and a trail blazer for Palm Beach style, but Way over-hyped

The Down East Dilettante said...

Oh, and btw, question still on the table---is the wonderful picture from a vintage yacht ad or the like?

Gary Lawrance said...

It's from an old Magazine ad. If you like I can scan it in full and send it to you or look to see which magazine it came from. I think it's in a complete magazine,but it isn't a yachting magazine. I just sometimes take quick snapshots with my camera and download them, so that's why some of the pictures could be of higher quality, but it takes longer to scan then do a bunch of clippings.

The Down East Dilettante said...

plus one often gets that annoying moire when scanning half tone printing.

I would love to have any version of the picture that you choose to send to add to my files, and thank you very much. Naturally would be interested in the documentation also. Many thanks.

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