The record-union., 1894-03-08
QUEEN VICTORIA At FLORENCE.
To Dwell in the Ancient Villa of the
Ancipressi
Luxuries That Come Within the Reach
of the Crowned Heads of
Europe.

Queen Victoria's continental outing
will chiefly be spent this year as last. at
Florence. She will not return to the
Villa Palmieri, however, but has selected
charming house on the Montughi Hill,
near Fiesole, known now as the Villa
Fabbricotti, but formerly as the Villa OF
the Ancipressi. 1t is one of the oldest
houses on the hill, dating from the four
teenth century, when it was owned by
the famous Buoninsegni family of Flor
ence; but it has been greatly enlarged
and adorned by its present owner, Count
Fabbrlcotti. The villa stands in a small
but beautiful park. This is entered by
small iron gate facing the villa, which
stands high above it on series of walled
gardens, which form the approach to the
house for the pedestrian, while the driver
must wind round by an easy incline
shaded by rare trees and adorned with
gay flowers. The villa, which is built OF
white stone, outlined with darker color.
Is tWO-storied, and surmounted by bel
vedere, which will be the abode of the
Queens Indian servants.
The villa faces south, but the carriage
entrance is at the side, for the whole
south facade is occupied by a glass-in-
closed loggia, delicious spot in which TO
take afternoon tea or lounge away an idle
hour, watching the sunset or the play OF
the lights in the city below. This is en-
tered from long room, known as the
gallery, which has been set aside for the
Queens reception-rOom, in the event of a
visit from royal perSonages. Otherwise,
the Queen will live entirely on the sec
Ond floor, which is being prepared for
her reception, the furniture for both bed
i
England, for her majesty always likes to
sleep in the same bed and write at the
same table she is used to. The Queen s
bedroom is that in the right-hand corner
aud is lighted by three windows, two of
which open on the right side of the villa.
Adjoining the Queens private rooms are
the apartments reserved for Princess
Beatrice and for the ladies-in- waiting.
Entering the villa from the left, vesti-
bule is traVersed, whence open the doors
of the gallery, and whence also covered
courtyard is approached, which has been
transformed into a small sitting-room,
furnished in Oriental style. This, under
ordinary circumstances, probably serves
as a smoking room. The gallery, or sa-
lone, as it is called in Italy, occupies the
whole front OF the house. At present it
is furnished in a somewhat loud style,
but no doubt the Queens upholsterers
will temper this gaudineSs in accordance
with her majesty's taste. Ceilings and
walls are decorated with frescoes of no
great artistic worth, and adding by their
garish color to the general glare Of the
room.
On the ground floor is, further, the
family dining-room, of carved walnut
wood-a rest to the eye, Wearied Of the
crude colors it meets elsewhere. This
will perhaps be reserved to Sir Henry
Ponsonby's use, while the billiard-room
will probably be converted into a bed
room. Everything in the villa is brand
new, from the title of its owner to the
furniture of its rooms; and the Queen
will find nothing inside the house to COM
penSate for the exquisite old pictures and
precious works OF art harbored by Villa
Palmieri. Nor is the garden part as ex-
tensive. but it has been arranged that her
majesty's donkey carriage shall be able
to go also into the gardens of the adioin-
ing villas in order to extend her drive.
In these gardens palms and cacti flourish
tall and strong, as well as the expresses,
whence the villa took its ancient name.
All will be ready early in March, and
gladly will Florence and the tIorentines
once more greet England's Queen, and
salute the royal standard Of Great Britain
as it waves from the belvedere of Fab
bricotti's villa.
If there is not much of artistic beauty
in the villa she is TO dwell in. however,
her majesty can find consolation near at
hand, in the neighboring villa OF +. Stib-
bert. This gentleman has devoted the
last thirty years to the acquisition OF one
OF the finest collections OF modern times,
and has made structural additions to his
villa from time to time to accommodate
his ever-growing multitude of art OBJ
jects. Brocades, costumes, sculpture
pictures, bijouterie-aH these are dis
posed in excellent taste through an end
less suite of galleries.. but the finest col
lection is that of arms and armor. An
enormous baronial hall is filed with a
troop of about twenty armed equestrian
figures attended by about twice the num-
ber OF foot-soldiers, all mail-clad cap-a-
pied. AS the visitor gazes down from the
gallery on this highly realistic scene it is
almost impossible to avoid the conviction
that one is watching moving medieval
procession or pageantry. Her majesty
engagements unfortunately prevented
her from seeing Mr.. Stibbert's collection
last year, but she will doubtless take il
In" during her coming visit to Florence.
New York Tribune.