I discovered this antique over the weekend when one of my best friends, Keri, joined me for a weekend of mischief (which included downing a bottle of pino and an 11:30pm run to Tasti-D-Lite, where I was reprimanded by an employee for eating candy I hadn't yet paid for). As a student of FIT, Keri has to visit a selection of locations throughout the city, which offer a glimpse into the architectural and design styles that have taken shape over the years. We awoke at 9am on Sunday (thanks be to daylight savings) and made the journey across town and up to The Heights. After walking a short distance down a cobble stone street lined with enormous brownstones and stairs as solid as fortresses, we reached our destination. There, on the second highest elevated point in Manhattan and with views of the Harlem River, is the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Structurally, this house is exactly as it was when it was built in 1765 - a little floor shellac and a few dozen coats of paint notwithstanding. Most of the furniture inside are replicas based on the time period, but there are a few pieces here and there that are original to the house.
Front parlor.
British Colonel Roger Morris built this home as a summer "villa," but was booted back to England for being a Loyalist during the Revolution. Soon after, it became military head quarters for a man you may have heard of ... he went by General Washington, George, I'm almost certain, was his first name. A Whose Who's of the day, including Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were entertained on premise. In 1810 Stephen and Eliza Jumel, both immigrants from France and chums of the vertically challenged Napoleon, purchased the mansion. After her husband's death, Eliza married former Vice President under Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr.
Noteworthy piece of furniture in this bedroom; that desk/chair combo.
Detail was everything in those days, from the intricate moldings and stained glass windows to the hand painted Chinese wall paper and lavish carpets in almost every room. I had to chuckle, if you think plastic-lined sofas and ornate Italian dining room sets are gaudy, rich families in the 18th and 19th centuries were close contenders. Every table, chair and desk had clawed feet and nary a window was without thick velvety curtains, held back with braided golden tassels.
Eliza Jumel's bedroom suite.
George Washington rested his powder-wigged head on this (replica) four post bed.
Anyone have to pee? (This chair that - suprise! - doubled as a chamber pot, was located in Eliza Jumel's boudoir, just off her bedroom.
Our last stop was the kitchen. "They had toast and waffles back then? Life couldn't have been so bad!" - Keri, always pointing out the positives in life :)
No comments:
Post a Comment