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

Sunday, October 31, 2010

"Gilded Age Mansions" depicted in movies about Haunted Houses and the Supernatural


One of the best movies ever! In The Haunting,While one never sees a ghost, blood or anything horrifying, it proves that you can be scared with just the suggestion of it. Supposed to take place at an old mansion built in the 1880's outside Boston. The house was nothing but bad news from the day it was built. While the first owner's wife is arriving to see the house, she gets killed on the driveway. The actual house is Ettington Park in England, which still stands and is a hotel. Make sure you get the 1963 edition with Julie Harris. If you love haunted house movies, It's my number one recommendation!
Ettington Park,Google Images
Ettington Park,Haunted


House of Dark shadows was the first full length feature film made from the popular soap opera from the 1960's. It starred Jonathan Frid as the sad vampire looking for his lost love. The TV series which used for it's exterior shots Seaview Terrace in Newport, used in this movie, Lyndhurst Castle, in Tarrytown, New York. It also uses the former Vanderlip estate, Beechwood in Scarborough, New York and the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut.

House of Dark Shadows trailer
Houses of Dark Shadows preview
Lyndhurst
Beechwood
Scarborough Estates
Vanderlip Family
FrankVanderlip
Narcissa Vanderlip
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion


Night of Dark Shadows was a sequel to the previous movie mostly filmed at only Lyndhurst.

Night of Dark Shadows preview

Friday, October 29, 2010

Designers' Showcase 2010 Mill Neck Manor, Mill Neck, New York


Opening this weekend is the Designers' Showcase at Mill Neck Manor, the former Dodge estate. it is an amazing house and one of the last great mansions along Long Island's Gold Coast. Set upon it's original estate and with views over looking the sound from the second floor, it's like being transported to the English countryside. If you can, try to make the preview opening reception on October 30, to see the house in all its shimmering splendor
at twilight. General admission for the showcase is $30.00 and the preview reception is $125.00 The show house benefits the Mill Neck manor Early Childhood Center. Another great event being organized by " Mansions & Millionaires" For further information call 516-628-4333

Click HERE for more pictures and history about Mill Neck Manor.

More Links below,
Historic Houses


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

"Gilded Age Movies"

The following are some favorite movies of mine which either use Gilded Age Mansions or are about Gilded Age Society.

"The Age of Innocence", is one of Edith Wharton's most famous novels. Old Westbury Gardens and The Cutting Arboretum at Great River, New York are used as locations. Click HERE for trailer to the movie.

"The House of Mirth", really gives an inside look into New York Society of the Gilded Age. Click HERE for movie trailer.

" High Society" with Grace Kelly. One of the best movies ever about Newport.
Click Here to watch Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm sing, " Who wants to be a millionaire" Click HERE to watch the opening sequence with a flyover of Newport circa 1956. Click HERE to watch the original trailer.

"High Society" was based on the play, " The Philadelphia Story" which also became a movie. "The Philadelphia Story" is about an heiress from Philadelphia's Main Line and is often thought to be modeled on the life of Helen Hope Montgomery Scott and her family estate, Ardrossan. Click HERE for a clip from, " The Philadelphia Story" , which starred Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant.
Ardrossan & Scott Family Links.
Helen Hope Montgomery Scott
Smithreports
Mainlinetoday

While " The Betsy" is supposed to take place in Michigan, it uses Rosecliff in Newport as the family estate. Click HERE for preview.

In " From the Terrace", The Smith Mansion off 25A in Muttontown is used as a backdrop in this Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward love story.

" Mr. North" is based upon the Thornton Wilder novel, " Theophilus North". Takes place in Newport and is filmed in many of the Mansions there. Click HERE for movie trailer.

" The Heiress" , based on the Henry James novel, "Washington Square" is about New York Society when it still resided in Washington Square. Click HERE for movie trailer.

" Stella Dallas" is one of the original tearjerkers about a social climbing woman who gives up her daughter, so that she could be accepted by society. The Brokaw Mansion in Glen Cove is used as a backdrop. Click HERE for movie trailer.

"Holiday" is about a poor Joe, "Cary Grant", who meets a beautiful woman on vacation and upon returning to New York, goes to visit her. Her address is off Fifth Avenue and assuming she works at the grand townhouse he approaches, goes to the servants entrance to call on her. He later discovers she is the daughter of the man who owns the townhouse and from one of the oldest, most socially prominent families in New York society. While the movie takes place in New York, the interiors are most defiantly movie sets. They go way beyond the splendor and elegance of even some of the most magnificent townhouses that were ever built in New York. The story has many twists and turns and is one of my favorites, if not just for the interiors. Click HERE for opening sequence.

Dunnellen Hall at Greenwich, Connecticut. The estate of Leona Helmsley


Here is a great book published by the Junior League of Greenwich, Connecticut, Inc., which also includes Dunnellen Hall. Go to their WEBSITE to purchase a copy. When there, click on letter perfect stationary in the left column, then great estates.

Links:
BUSINESS INSIDER
LUXIST

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Elm Court at Sands Point


Aerial view of the Edgar F. Luckenbach estate at Sands Point, New York.

Below are some images of the estate during it's heyday and just prior to demolition after a designer show house in 1980.









Links for more on Elm Court
Edgar F. Luckenbach
New York Times, Estate purchased
Old Long Island

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Estate of Nicholas Brady Inisfada, Manhasset, New York


Entrance Facade of Inisfada



Main Staircase of Inisfada

Long Gallery of Inisfada

Daniel Marot Room of Inisfada

Billiard Room of Inisfada

Gothic Sitting Room of Inisfada

Gothic Sitting Room of Inisfada

Chinese Bedroom of Inisfada

Small Gothic bedroom of Inisfada

Painted Dressing Room of Inisfada

Master bedroom of Inisfada

Dining Room of Inisfada

Drawing Room of Inisfada

Great Hall of Inisfada

Click HERE to see the Life Magazine article about the 1937 Auction of this magnificent estate. This property still exists as the St. Ignatius retreat House off of Searingtown Road.

More Links;

Nicholas Frederic Brady
Old Long Island
St. Ignatius Retreat House, Watch the video tour at this site.
Time 1937

Bing Map

Friday, October 22, 2010

The C.K.G. Billings Mansion Locust Valley, New York


The center hall atrium of C.K.G. Billing's mansion called Farnsworth, designed by Guy Lowell. This view shows it looking towards the front entrance hall. Click HERE to see more photos and links.

Residence at Locust Valley of Mr. Louis Horowitz






Mansions of the Gilded Age on Facebook now has over 11,000 members,

Please join HERE or HERE for more information.



Please also look at comments for more information about the Horowitz mansion!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Faded Newport


Click HERE for an article from Life magazine about the faded grandeur of Newport, Rhode Island from 1944.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Belcourt Castle, Newport, RI. For Sale & Stories about it being Haunted


Belcourt Castle, located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island is now for sale. Click the links below to read about it's history, it's recent posting for sale, the reputed hauntings and court battle by the family and to see more pictures of this magnificent mansion, once owned by Alva Vanderbilt Belmont.

Belcourt Castle
Belcourt Castle Photo Gallery
Boston Globe
Castles of the United States
Luxist
My Little Housing Blog
Wikipedia

Some links to haunted Belcourt Castle just in time for Halloween
Paranormal Casebook, Ghost Hunters
Haunted Places in America
Newport's Most Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion Tour
The Ghosts of Belcourt Castle
Real Haunted Houses
The Unique Haunting of Belcourt Castle

Some links to the family feud over Belcourt Castle
Tinney V. Tinney
The Battle of Belcourt
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