Monday, January 11, 2010

'La Lanterne'

'La Lanterne', the James B. Clews estate designed by Horace Trumbauer c. 1929 in Brookville. Trumbauer copied 'La Lanterne' designed by Louis Le Vau in France almost to a tee (click HERE to see the French 'La Lanterne'). Clews was a senior partner at the brokerage firm of Henry Clews & Co. The central portion of the house was demolished c. 1952 and the two flanking wings were converted into private residences. Click HERE to see 'La Lanterne' on google earth.

6 comments:

The Down East Dilettante said...

Interesting how the photograph makes the scale of the building look fairly domestic, when actually, it was overscaled and huge in the usual Trumbauer way---the man seemed unable to measure a foot in less than 18 inches.

The original La Lanterne, one of the loveliest houses of the 18th century. has inspired many a fine American house, like this one, and many more bad ones. I'm fascinated by the many copies. The loveliest of all is the Caroline Morse Ely house in Lake Bluff, by David Adler. Newport has 'Ker Arvor', a white stucco copy for the Fahnestock family. The Atlanta suburbs seem to be filled with bad twee versions of La Lanterne...

Anonymous said...

they always demolish the piece i'd keep but i suppose its more practical. the heck with that.
is that house back and to the left an outbuilding or what?
another Mainer

Anonymous said...

Down East -
The Caroline Morse Ely is perfection. Does Ker Arvor still exist? Do you know its location?
Doug

The Down East Dilettante said...

Anonymous: Ker Arvor is on the west side of Harrison Avenue, North of Castle Hill Avenue, almost directly across from the entrance of the Newport Country Club.

Anonymous said...

Down East -
Thanks! I know exactly which house that is and had wondered about that house - very lovely.
Doug

magnus said...

I was in one of the flanking wings many years ago. At the time, it was the house of one of the daughters of Thelma Chrysler Foy, and the fabulous Foy French furniture looked perfect against the Louis XV and Louis XVI boiserie that, I'm sure, was original to the house.