A House of Many Names — Part 3

Posted on 4/10/26

Authored & Curated By
M.J.G.

This final chapter explores the right side of the house, accessed from the stair hall. On this side, we encounter what appears to be the library and sitting room—spaces that now read as one continuous, expansive interior. They are visually divided by large, fluted columns, which create a sense of separation without fully enclosing either area. The arrangement strongly suggests that this portion of the house was altered around the turn of the century, likely opened up from two distinct rooms into a single, unified space, accompanied by the introduction of new fireplaces, doors, and architectural detailing. This evolution reinforces a recurring theme seen throughout the house: it was never a static environment. As earlier evidence has shown, with its succession of occupants and phases of alteration, the house continually adapted to reflect changing needs, tastes, and ways of living.

To better understand where we will be looking, it is behind these windows that the next views are taken. Here, we can see strongly patterned lace curtains paired with dark roller blinds filtering the light. Take note of the window arrangement as well—there is a single window alongside a bay window, details that will help us identify the room from within.

Here in the hallway, when looking through the doorway beyond the fretwork, a fluted column can be seen on the right side of the opening. Keep that detail in mind.

If we enter that doorway and we turn to the right, we can see what appears to be the sitting room, or perhaps an extension of the library. It is most likely that these were originally two separate rooms, later opened up in the early twentieth century to create the larger space seen here. In this view, the draperies differ from those in the library portion of the room. The entire floor also appears to be covered wall to wall with carpet.

A three-person seat appears here, complete with a built-in plant holder. This conversation chair, or tête-à-tête, is heavily tufted and trimmed in rich fabric. It must have made for an interesting arrangement in conversation. Also worth noting is the beautifully embroidered pillow at the right.

You may already have noticed the musical instrument at the back, placed at something of an odd angle. After a bit of digging, I found that this was known as the Grand Aeolian Orchestrelle. This was not simply an organ, but a player organ, operating on much the same principle as a player piano. The lower central section above the keys opens to receive the music roll, just as in a player piano.

Here is an article on a similar instrument for those interested in musical instruments of the period. These were costly pieces even in their own day, and must have seemed almost magical to those watching them play by themselves. If one wanted to hear a particular piece, it was simply a matter of selecting the proper roll and placing it into the instrument.

I found this one which is similar in design, though not exactly the same. It was titled The Grand Aeolian Orchestrelle circa 1890 on an auction page.

At right in the foreground is an especially interesting chair. Anyone inclined to do a little research may find it a rewarding piece to investigate further.

A very interesting arrangement of furniture and pillows can be seen here within the bay window. This is the same front bay noted at the beginning of the article. In the center we have a beautiful lion topped Japanese Urn. These were quite popular decorative items for homes. Some were replica’s and some were actual antiques.

A closer look reveals the layered drapery valances set in front of the lace curtains.

Now, if we step a little farther into the sitting room and look to the left, we can see into the library portion of the space. The room is divided by fluted columns topped with Scamozzi Ionic capitals. It is very likely that this interior was restructured later in its life, perhaps in the early twentieth century. We will return to that point later, but first let us look around this side of the room.

A tufted leather chair, a column, and a framed picture greet us here. The pedestal appears similar to the one seen earlier in the reception room. Let us take a closer look at it.

It may in fact be the same pedestal, repositioned from the reception room to the library for the photograph. If not, it is at least extraordinarily close in design, with details that appear nearly identical. At the very least, the resemblance is strong enough to suggest either the reuse of the same piece or the presence of a matched pair within the house.

Zooming in more closely, we can see a framed portrait of a woman. It may depict the owner, or perhaps the owner’s mother. At present, however, that remains only speculation.

There is much to take in here. Looking more closely at the Scamozzi Ionic columns, one can also see, behind the column at right, a recessed built-in shelf set beneath a shell-like hood. Along the top of the wall, the frieze-patterned wallpaper is also visible. The lighter value of the paper against the background suggests that the walls themselves were finished in a darker tone, likely chosen to harmonize with the border above.

On the right side of this illustration can be seen the Scamozzi Ionic capital, distinguished by its four diagonal volutes, or scrolls, which present nearly the same appearance from all four faces. The traditional Ionic capital, shown at left, differs in that its volutes appear only on the front and back, while the sides are formed by a thicker, cushion-like bolster.

For those who tend to forget the column orders, a simple way to remember them is that Ionic can be thought of as “eye-onic,” since its paired scrolls resemble eyes. Corinthian sounds appropriately elaborate, and is the order enriched with acanthus leaves. Doric, by contrast, is the simplest of the three, with a plain and heavier capital to match.

Behind the columns, within the deep recessed built-in shelf, boxes can be seen stacked at the bottom. These are clearly the music rolls for the player organ.

Looking into the library, we see the library desk. This immense piece of furniture is large enough to accommodate a person on either side. The rows of studs indicate that the writing surface is leather-topped. At the corners are massive lion’s paws with carved heads above them. Beneath the desk sits a carpeted footstool.

On the desk stands a very large plant in a jardinière, filled with lilies like those seen earlier in the dining room. Behind this massive desk are built-in bookcases fitted with glass doors. Each door appears to have been lined on the inside with fabric or another material to soften the effect. Atop the cabinets sits a calling card tray or ornamental stand, seemingly decorated with monkeys on swings at either end, along with flowers, faces, and small busts. To the right stands a statue of a man which, thus far, I have not been able to identify.

The clock on this wall is hung unusually high, rising partly into the area of the frieze and wall fill. Ordinarily, a clock of this kind would be placed somewhat lower. In the foreground, we are also given a view of the light fixture. Above the frieze runs a heavy wooden cornice molding, while the ceiling itself appears to be unadorned.

The fretwork here is also especially attractive, much like the example seen in the previous article, with a sunburst at the center. In this case, there are two sunbursts, one at each side. Suspended from the poles at either end, instead of the more commonly seen drapery portières, are rope portières like those noted earlier in the stair hall. Hanging from the arch is a small jeweled lantern. At right are simple open-flame gas sconces in the form of candles.

In the boxed bay are low seats and pillows, around which the lace curtains have been casually draped in an irregular fashion. In front stands a handsome pedestal supporting a statue. This view also makes clear that the rope portières were made of alternating colored braided cords, finished with alternating tassels and pompons.

Now let us step into the library corner behind the desk and look back across the room. From this vantage, we get a clear view of the full space and its two fireplaces. The line of columns most likely marks the point at which the room was originally divided. At the far left can be seen a single window, which also faces the front of the house and corresponds to the exterior view shown at the beginning of this article. It is also evident that objects were moved about for the photograph. The plant that earlier stood on the table has been removed, while the pedestal with the lamp and framed portrait has been brought into the center of the room. Far in the background, in the adjoining section, the portrait of the woman appears to have been placed on a different table.

Here we see a close-up view of the side of the desk, with its intricate ornament of wreaths and ribbons. The leather writing surface across the top does not extend all the way to the outer edges, but stops short of the desk ends.

In this photograph, one can see how varied the chair styles in the room really were. The chair at left appears to be a tufted leather example, perhaps serving as the actual desk chair, while the light, playful rattan chair in the background, ornamented with ribbons, stands out sharply against the surrounding dark wood.

At the time of the reworking, this type of mantel, with its very large stone surround, appears to have been inserted into the room, likely replacing an earlier mantel of a more Eastlake character. Perhaps it was somewhat closer in style to what was seen in the dining room.

A closer look here at the columns and doors is especially revealing. This style of door was not especially common in the 1880s and 1890s, but began to appear more frequently around the turn of the century and remained popular into the early decades of the twentieth century.

You can see that this fireplace mantel matches the one on the other side of the room. Also worth noting is how reflective the woodwork appears, suggesting that it was finished to a very high polish.

That's the end of the journey for now with this house.
For previous articles on this house, click the image below.

Part 1

Part 2

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