Historic Homes of America: The Biltmore Estate

  Along with antiquing I also love to visit historic houses throughout the country.  I love them not only for their architectural beauty and interior design, but it's fascinating to see how people throughout history lived and how they used the items I'm always seeing in antique stores.  The biggest of them all is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  The Biltmore was the summer home of George Washington Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius 'Commodore' Vanderbilt, the owner of the New York Central Railroad during the Victorian and Gilded Age.  The Vanderbilts were one of the prominent millionaire families of New York along with the Astors and Morgans, and their wealth is highly apparent in their summer homes and cottages.  George commissioned the Biltmore in 1889 and its doors opened in 1895.  Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the mansion is in the style of a French château, has a floor space of 178,926 square feet, and 250 rooms.  There is an elevator, a gymnasium, bowling alley, and even a pool in the basement.  George married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1898 and they had one child, Cornelia, who was born and grew up on the estate.  Biltmore is still owned and operated by descendants of Cornelia.

 Exterior

Statue in gazebo at top of hill.

Inset conservatory at the entrance.

Breakfast room, with portrait of George's grandfather.

Dining room

Salon

Music room

Balcony

Tapestry gallery

Library

Mr. Vanderbilt's bedroom

 Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom

Oak sitting room

Louis XV room

Damask room

Claude room

Chimney room

Second floor living hall, with portrait of the Cecils, Cornelia's descendants.

Third floor living hall

Billiard room

Smoking room/Gun room

Bowling alley/Gymnasium/Pool

Halloween room, painted by Cornelia and her husband for a themed party around New Year's(this information was found after the room was named).

 

Greenhouse with garden

 

View from terraced stone patio

Further Research:
The Biltmore Estate
Wikipedia: Biltmore Estate
Wikipedia: The Four Hundred
Wikipedia: Vanderbilt Family

For The Love Of Vintage Plastics: My Celluloid Collection

   My celluloid collection has been, almost accidentally, steadily growing since I started collecting antiques.  It turned out many of the items I wanted to buy were made from celluloid, which heightened my interest in learning about this plastic.

  As I had mentioned in my post about celluloid, I first became interested in collecting this plastic through searching for decorative hair combs.  Most hair combs from the 1910s-1930s are made from celluloid, so my love of combs inadvertently started my love of celluloid.

Decorative hair combs, circa 1910s-1920s. 
(There's a possibility the tortoiseshell comb is galaith, but with no markings I suppose I'll never know.)

  I then became intrigued by the beautiful dresser sets of the 1920s-1930s, many of which were made of a mother of pearl-like celluloid.  This type continues to be my favorite form of the plastic, and I struggle with having the will power to not purchase all of it.

 My pieced together, almost matching, dresser/toilet set in Maize Pearl with black edging, circa 1920s-1930s.

Button hook and cuticle cutter are from the same set, unmarked.

Mirror from a different set, unmarked.

Brush from a different set, marked 'DuPont USA'.

Shoe horn, circa 1920s.  A different pattern of pearl, marked 'Hampton Arch Amerith'.

Comb marked 'Lady Bobbie Trade~Mark' in Maize Pearl with rainbow swirl edging, circa 1920s-1930s.  While cleaning I broke off two of the teeth.  I managed to super-glue them back on, but I won't be able to use it now for fear of further damage.  Take it from me - be gentle with vintage plastics!

 Fold-up mirror in White Pearl, circa 1950s.  Marked 'Japan'.

  The rest of the pieces I've acquired are of the French Ivory/Ivorine/Pyralin style. 

Another dresser/toilet set, more specifically a manicure set, all matching, circa 1920s-1930s.  The close ups of the handles visibly show the faux striations to mimic true ivory.

Floral brooch, circa 1930s-1950s.  Not the usual French Ivory type, has no lines and light blushes of paint on the flowers.

Glove stretcher, marked 'French Ivory', 'Made in England', circa 1900-1910.  This is the only celluloid piece I bought not because it was celluloid, since at the time I thought French Ivory meant actual ivory.

My current whole collection.