Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-10
SAMUEL J. TILDEN,s PALACE.


"a VISITORS IMPRESSIONS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL
DECORATIONS, CARVINGS. BrsTs AND FINE
EsTHETIc EFFEcTs-oRIENTAL sPLENDoR IN
NEW YORK.
From the New York Star
What was simply the day dream Of scar
Wilde. the impalpable abstraction, SO to spea X.
OF vivid fancy struggling to grasp the
apotheosis of decorative art. has been trans
formed, materiaIized and bodied forth into
the shapes and hues Of one Of the most sublime
pieces OF realistic, architectural beauty that
has yet appeared on this continent, i'm Gra-
mercy Park. 1t remained for Hon. Samuel j.
Tilden to crown the efforts OF his busy and
useful life by more than realizing the most
enthusiastic dreams Of esthetcism in his new
house. which is alike the wonder. the admira-
ton and the envy OF the New York milliOnaires
who have recently been attempting to eject
palaces on European and Oriental plans The
first thing that strike the observer is the i'm
posing appearance which Mr.. Tilden's palace
presents from every approach to the square. 1t
seems TO catch the eye as readily as IL it Occtl-
pied the very center OF the square, and casts all
| its neighbOrs in the shade Tie cause of this.
though the effect is manifest to the eye is not
Dy any means apparent at first sight. and can
only be understood through some attention to
the details and the secrets of the architects art.
! The house is a double one. occupying fifty feet
front. ahd having depth of nearly the entire
length of the block between Goth and 10Th sts
There are two spacious entrances with inn
mense bay windows between extending from
the basement tOthe summit. The general archi-
lecture is OF the pointed. cOnverging character
combining variety of Styles with the Gothic
predominatng, and carefully cOntriyed to pro-
duce the highest effect on the artistic eve
To 90 slightly into detail so that one may
IhA0 of fhn oein nrfo
| that constitute this magnificent whole of
Oriental splendOr. 1t may be stated that
| the exterior has been treated in free manner
somewhat Gothic. with considerable amount
OF carving. both conventional and realistic. The
busts of poets and painters, finely chiseled,
adOrn the 'front.' Among these are the busts of
Milton. Goethe. Dante and Shakespeare Over
the eastern entrance there is a beautiful repre-
sentatiOn OF the four seasons, and over the
western a bas-reief of Michael Angelo The
stones used for the front are BeiviIle and Car
Isle. one being beautiful grayish brown and
the other red color, with dividing bands and
with black granite in patterns.
A novelty is introduced in the treatment of
the c0rnice line. which has been broken up into
pediments. SO rs to give picturesque appear
ance TO what architects call the sky line The
bas-reef of the flagstaff at the northeast angle
of the building has been treated i'm novel man
ner. This Is square metal base surmounted
by pcdinlent from which the flagstaff starts
The main chimney has also been made feature
of the general composition of the building, DOM
mating the mass and forming the apex of the
sky line. This is done with view of securing
the grand effect produced by the pyramidal
form. or OF eliminating or drawing up the sky
line to an apex. The result arrived at in this is
the essence OF true architectural composition
and beauty-the very estletic point of the per-
lection of art.
This feature in architecture is great nov
city in New York houses and is deficient. or
entirely wanting. In some of the most costly
structures OF great mlliOnares. The bay win
dOws constitute another feature of the grand
exterior of Mr.. Tiden's mansion The approach
is exceedingly striking. and there is something
meypressbe In the tout ensemble, which con-
stltutes an amazing contrast with the buildings
In the same vicinity. The best of them in the
vicinity only seem like tinsel beside the real
gold. or Wretched paste imitation placedn con-
tact with diamonds of the purest water. 1t
constitutes one Of those sights which makes a
trenchman lose all his vocabulary in an ecstacy
OF profound admiration with the single excep-
ton of the phrase "C'est magnifque"
The eastern entrance is highly carved and
decorated. The consoles or brackets are some
what different from what is usually seen in
city houses. The bronze railing is also of
peculiar character.
Another handsome and unique feature is the
treatment OF the front area with its open bal
ustrade OF real bronze compared with the Or
binary tagged area in common USE
The guards of the basement windows and
the gates OF the basement entrance are of solid
bronze. The end ratings of the stoops are
bronze and ebony. The ratings of the bay win
dOws are also of bronze. running from the base
ment to the third floor. This in general terms
and In semi-architectual dialect is a representa-
ton OF the several features of the facade. It
presents quite picturesque and imposing ap-
pearance viewed from any standpoint in Gram
ercy Park, and imparts to the finest stone
fronts there beggarly aspect. The wrath of
Jim Bennett when the new post Office was built
was only childless caprice compared with the
rage that some mlliOnares in the park must
feel deep seated in their injured breasts. when
gazing at Tilden's mansion from the front win
doWs OF their own comparatively wretched
structures
The eye never wearies gazing upon It. as the
more minutely it is viewed, like certain Oriental
designs IN tapestry, the greater number of new
the bric-a-brac style about it. Like Mr. Tiden's
bari " it is all thoroughly substantial After
a vain attempt to grasp all the exterior beau
Ties, q new and overwhelming surprise is in
store ior the visitor to this mansion when he is
admitted to the Interior of its esthetc precincts
The dining-room, in No. Is, is the first object
that strikes his bewildered imagination. 1t ia
an area OF 80 feet square, and will when thor
oughly finished, present picture of Oriental
magEfcence. with its beautiful panel ceiling
composed of satinwood ribs, carved and decor.
ated the panels being filled in with tiles of blue
tint with every possible contrast of color and
figure to heighten the effect
The walls above the level Of the dado or
wainscOting Of the ceiling are covered with
satin panels, carved with real BIRDS animals
flowers and foliage In high relief, presenting a
striking appearance of animated nature in
endless variety, and taking the Imagination
back to the Twelfth century Renaissance as
manifested in the wonderful design of the
French cathedrals of that period, the remnants
OF which have to some extent been preserved in
NOtre Dame.
When Mr. Blaine saw this room he was 80
much overcome by esthetic enthusiasm that
he telegraphed at once to Washington to have
the dining-rOOm In his new house made after
the same fashion. In his cooler moments.
however when he came to discuss the matter
financially, with his architect, and found 1t
would cost $50, 600, he is said to have uttered
an exclamation. naming q place which is not
recognized on Bob Ingersolrs chart of the uni
verse. the estimate for his entire house not
having exceeded this amount.
On the second floor of this house there is an
elegant suite of rooms which are finished in
| satlnwOOd. carved and decorated In the same
style az the dinlng-rOOm. When the visitor
enters house IA, however, he is introduced into
the very elysium of literary taste, combining
| the ornamental and the useful In something
a N rivtp