Monday, November 28, 2011

'The Elms'

'The Elms', the Clifford Vail Brokaw Sr. estate designed by Charles A. Platt c. 1912 in Glen Cove. Brokaw was a stockbroker and member of Brokaw Brothers Clothing Co. which was run by his family. Click HERE for more on 'The Elms' and HERE for more on 'The Elms' farm group designed by Alfred Hopkins. The house was demolished c. 1946 but click HERE to see where 'The Elms' stood on google earth.






Photos from The Brickbuilder, 1916.

9 comments:

Doug Floor Plan said...

Not ground breaking, innovative design or interiors but a good looking house with an efficient floor plan.

I like the separate men & ladies reception rooms, each with their own toilets. In a modern setting I imagine one or both could be converted into a home office.

You'll notice the fireplace in the dining room is not centered on the wall -- I suspect because if it had been you'd see only half of it as you approached it from the main hall; so that wall was spilt in two with the fireplace in the section not seen. I wonder what was in the section seen?

Anonymous said...

Very handsome house. A shame it only lasted 30 years. Looks very much like The Manor House, now by google earth it looks as if these two homes were neighbors, odd to have such similar homes to close.

The Down East Dilettante said...

Platt was one of the masters, no doubt about it. Obviously the Brokaws admired their neighbor's house and had to have one like it---which is how it has worked since the beginning of time. And even odder, is though the Pratt House is slightly the better composition, I actually prefer this house.

Interesting to compare the elevation drawings here with the elevation drawings for 'Timberline', the Hinkle house in Pennsylvania, also designed by Platt, as seen over on Beyond the
Gilded Age. Different styles pasted on the same shapes.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful portico, entrance hall and approach drive. Another well designed Platt floor plan, they always worked so well and are so formal.

Doug Floor Plan said...

DED, I suspect one reason you prefer 'The Elms' over 'Manor House' is you previously commented on 'Manor House': "That door surround, for its superb craftsmanship and design, rather screams 'Public Library', doesn't it?" ... whereas the front door here looks like a residence.

The Devoted Classicist said...

Doug, in the Dining Room, the long wall not seen in the photo (opposite the entrance to the room) is divided into four parts. The outer elements are a window and a door to the pantry. My guess, and it is only that, is that the two central elements are niches with one being the fireplace and the other with shelves to display plate or porcelain. Of course, that is the oval Breakfast Room at the end.

Anonymous said...

I agree, a lovely home, but demolished in 1946? Why, it wasn't even fashionable to do so as yet. What's the story here?

Anonymous said...

Not time yet for demolition? Post World War I and definitely post WW II the servant pool dried up forever. One could not afford a full household staff and gardeners and other estate staff to maintain such homes and Long Island helped with heavy taxes plus uncle sam helped with income taxes. I guess by 1946, after decasdes of new taxes and changing lifestyles, many where contemplating the last days of the remaining estates like The Elms. That being said, this was a beautiful home

The Down East Dilettante said...

Definitely not too early. The tide of demolition started in the 1930s---in fact, some of the estates were already becoming institutions as early as the 1920s.

Higher income taxes, Economic disaster, development pressure---all were well underway. AND, then as now, there were never that many buyers for top of the line real estate.