The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-03-10
NEW YORK's FINEST DWELLINGS.
A Description Of william III. Vanderbilt.
New Residence on Ffffh Avenue.


New Residence on Fiffh Avenue.
Mr.. Vanderbilt's new house is the
most elegant private residence, inside
aud outside, in New York city. The
building comprises three houses. A
central porch divides the building into
two sections. The south section is Mr..
Vanderbilts own residence. It is eighty.
four feet front by 115 feet deep, and
four stories in height. The north Sec
tion is seventy-four feet front by 105
feet deep, and is divided into two
houses.
The houses are of brown stone, in the
style Of the Greek Renaissance. There
is great wealth OF carving at many
points, chiefly designs Of trailing vines.
A broad path leads up to the central
corridor. The walls of the corridor are
OF African marble, and the floor is oi
mosaic. The doors opening to the
right and left are bronze, set with
Scriptural medallions. They are copies
OF the Ghjberti gates at Florence, and
they cost $4,000. They open to the
left ON vestibule from which three
bronze doors open, one into the
main hall and two into recep-
tion rooms at the sides. The
hall extends the full height Of the
house. Eight red marble pillars with
bronze capitals support galleries on
each floor, which lead to the living
rooms. 1t is lighted by nine large
stained glass windows. The walls are
wainscoted with carved English oak
twelve feet high, and opposite tne en-
trance is mantelpiece OF red marble
and bronze. 1t reaches to the first
gallery, and has on each side two life
size female figures in high relief. The
door to the east OF the hall op- ms on
the drawing-room. The walls are COW
cred with carved woodwork inlaid with
mother Of pearl, and, in the panels, are
hung with pale red velvet, on which are
embroideries Of flowers and foliage. At
the side of each door are columns OF
onyx with brouze capitals, bearing
vases of stained glass and clusters OF
lights. In the corners are other clus-
ters, upheld by female figures of solid
silver. The ceiling is OF blue and gold,
but will eventually be covered by paint.
the room are twenty-five by thirty-one
feet. Gilded and carved sliding doors
draped with rich curtains give access
on the north to the library, and on the
soutb to the Japanese parlor. In the
library the bookcases, mantels and
doors are of rosewood, jnlaid with
mother -of-pea1l and brass. The ceiling
is get with panels containing small
square mirrors. The Dimensions OF the
library are seventeen by twenty. six feet.
A door on the west opens Oh Mr.. Van.
derbilt's private reccption-room, where
the walls are wainscoted with ma
hogany, and above that covered with
stamped leather.
In the Japanese parlor the ceiling is
Of bamboo, pricked out with red, green
and yellow lacquer work. A low-toncd
tapestry OF Japanese uncut velvet in
curious designs covers the walls and
the furniture. The lower part OF the
walls are hidden by fantastic cabinet,
with ipnumernblo pieeonholee, shelves
snd cupboards. Al vrious pufntsa
bronze panels, picked out In gold and
silver. The dimensions are the same as
the library.
To the west is the dining.room,
twenty. eight feet wide by thirty-seven
feet long. 1t is wainscoted in English
oak, and above, supported on brackets,
are glass faced cases holding the silver,
porcelain and glass. The gilded PAN
els Of the srched ceiling are filled with
carvings of fruits and foliage, and the
spaces with paintings Of hunting scenes
by Luminais, of Paris. The furniture
is OF English oak with brass ornaments,
and covered with stamped leather.
The great picture gallery is to the
west of the main hall and occupies the
entire rear OF the building. The di.
mensions are thirty-two feet by forty.
eight. The ceiling is thirty-five feet
high aud is cr'efiy formed of skylight
in opalescent and tinted glass, loaded
in quaint designs. A monumental man.
telpiece OF red African marble, with
cone Of glass mosaic work, occupies the
western wall. The woodwork Of the
room is of black oak, with San Domingo
mahogany for the caryadites and pilas-
ters. The floor is inlsid with the same
mahogany, and bordered with q mosaic
| OF Sienna and black marble in the Pom
peiian style. The walls above the VAIN
sCoting are covered with q dark red
tapestry to set Off the pictures. Over
the doors on the north, east and south
sides are balconies connecting with the
second story Of the house. The one on
the south opens into the conservatory.
The gallery has q separate entrance
from Fifty-hrst street, and the vestibule
Is entireiy-fioor, walls and ceiling-of
marble mosaic work, made in Venice.
North of the gallery is the aquarelle
room. This is finished in Circassian
walnut, Moorish style, touched here
and there with bright colors.
To the right as one enters the main
hall is the wide staircase with bronze
banisters. The first landing opens on
q gallery which runs around the aquar-
| ellie room. On the second floor the
room Ii, the northeast corner is the
family parlor. 1t is finished in ebony,
/ inlaid with livery. The walls are Gov
cred with dark blue silk brocade, and
the ceiling is divided into small panels,
With paintings OF children at play.
The next room on Fifth avenue is Mrs.
Vanderbilts bedroom, furnished by
| Alard, Of Paris. The walls are OF
white marble, hung with silk, and the
ceiling il covered with the painting,
Awakening OF Aurora" by Lefebvre.
The frieze is Of rosewood and mahog-
any. The room is twenty-six feet square.
Mr.. Vandegbilt's room, adjoining, is
finished in rosewood. inlaid with satin
wood. His dressing-room is wainscoted
| eight feet high in glass opalescent tiles
Of blue, gold and silver tints, and G lded
! on the backs. The bath tubs and basins
are Of mahogany and silver. and are
| concealed by sliding plate glass mirrors.
The large room on Fifty. first street is
libiary, fitted up Ia mahogany and
stamped leather. The bedroom in
tended for Miss Leila, now Mrs. Webb,
is fitted with rosewood, inlaid with
mother-of- pearl. The mirrors are
painted with an imitation Of lacework
through which children's heads peep.
Between six hundred and seven hun
dred men we're employed for year and
o half on the interior decofstiona