Monday, February 20, 2012

'Coxwould'

'Coxwould', the Dr. John F. Erdmann estate designed by Albro & Lindeberg c. 1912 in East Hampton. Erdmann, a surgeon, was known as "the grand old man" of New York surgery and according to his obituary had performed over 20,000 operations since he opened his practice on Lexington Avenue in 1887. He was Professor of Surgery and Director of Surgery at the New York Post-Graduate Medical College and Hospital from 1908-1934. The home is currently for sale for $24,950,000, click HERE to see the listing via William B. May. Click HERE to see 'Coxwould' on google earth and HERE on bing.


Photos from Architecture, 1915.

11 comments:

The Down East Dilettante said...

What a difference between the quality of landscaping between the average Hamptons house and the present day North Shore. This place is lovely---gardens that actually follow the house axis, no concrete paver courtyard...and another Albro & Lindeberg across Lily Pond lane...

If one scrolls down to the southwest slightly, there is a monstrosity to conjure with, however

The Down East Dilettante said...

but next to it--to the immediate West, is a terrific butterfly house---Grosvenor Atterbury, I think?

The Devoted Classicist said...

Lily Pond Lane is one of my favorites! There may be something I'm missing about the original intent of that corridor that runs along the end of the Dining Room. From the exterior, it has the effect of a glassed-in Loggia although, clearly, it never was. Some of Lindeberg's more urban houses had a more austere entrance court; perhaps he was trying to open up the house to the exterior more in this instance, as a beach house. Has anyone been inside?

Anonymous said...

This was Lois Wright's (Grey Gardens) uncle's house.

Kellsboro Jack said...

The property's rental listing with interior pictures which aren't what I expected to see

http://www.saundersrealnet.com/realtyeco/saa/photosViewer.cfm?ptype=R&folio=17643&imgidx=0

Around this time two years ago the rumors were abounding that Madonna was potentially going to rent for the summer Coxwould.

The 2010 edition of Hamptons Cottages & Gardens magazine had quipped that 'Dianne Wallace and Lowell Schulmann currently own Coxwould, which has been only slightly modified in its nearly 100-year history, each alteration made with strict reverence to the home's original Arts & Crafts detailing.'

The interior to me doesn't convey even a hint of Arts and Crafts whatsoever.

The Ancient said...

The reference is probably to the fireplaces, doors and windows, the beadboard, etc.

(BTW, what's the summer rental rate?)

Doug Floor Plan said...

Kellsboro, thanks for the link. Unfortunately, all it proves is whoever wrote the ‘Coxwould’ article in the 2010 edition of “Hamptons Cottages & Gardens” magazine did no research to ensure accuracy & is significantly wrong in his/her statements that a) ‘Coxwould’ has been only slightly modified in its nearly 100-year history, & b) each alteration was made with strict reverence to the home's original Arts & Crafts detailing.

Going through the current photos & comparing them with the floor plan Zach provided you can see, at a minimum, the following alterations:
Photo 5 – in the original floor plan the living room was rectangular but in the photo it is not rectangular because the staircase, which originally began in the living room, has been moved (see Photo 20) & the space at right formerly occupied by the stairs added to living room space. Also notice the room beyond the living room, behind the fireplace is kind of dark when in the original floor plan this was a loggia – that part of the wall was closed up when the loggia was enclosed.
Photos 7 & 8 – I didn’t know recessed cam lights were part of authentic Arts & Crafts detailing & if the center light fixture in the dining room is Arts & Crafts I’ll eat it.
Photo 10 – the small porch off the dining room has been enclosed into a breakfast room
Photo 12 – I don’t blame them for updating the bathroom, but that shower is not original.
Photo 13 – those are the back stairs coming up to the former servants’ rooms which, of course, have been significantly altered.
Photo 17 – again, if those are authentic Arts & Crafts light fixtures I’ll eat them. I’m also not familiar with all-white Arts & Crafts kitchen cabinets & ceilings.
Photo 18 – this is looking from the breakfast room in Photo 10 towards the kitchen; showing also that two walls of the original butler’s pantry have been removed.
Photo 20 – it appears a center hall has been created running from the front door to the rear patio & the staircase has been placed in that hall, making the living room shorter but wider.

Having rebutted the “Hamptons Cottages & Gardens” article & agreeing the interiors are not what I expected to see I’ll also agree that the exterior & landscaping are excellent.

Kellsboro Jack said...

The rental rate (2010) was $425,000 for Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Anonymous said...

Luv the diversity of this Lily Pond Lane neighborhood including the nearby Gwathmey Siegel beach house, the presumed Grosvenor Atterbury and even the so called white "monstrosity" on the beach but I dont understand the complete lack of landscaping on the more contemporary homes. The plots look barren and bleak in comparison to the adjacent landscape.

lil' gay boy said...

I guess it's all a matter of semantics; after 100 years, I would classify Coxwould as having relatively minor alterations ––– after all, it hasn't got some godawful motor court with a cheesy fountain, is instantly recognizable from original photographs of the exterior, and the minor reconfigurations of the interior respect the original palette.

There is, thank God, no post-apocalyptic unsympathetic extension tacked on at an arbitrary angle, filled with stainless steel & concrete, and looking too much like an Airstream trailer ran off the road & crashed through it.

As for the barren landscaping on a lot of moderns out east, when they were constructed it was pretty much de rigueur to plant them on a flat, bare carpet of grass to set them off as works of art for living in, in juxtaposition to earlier homes with their elaborate & lovingly cared for gardens.

Doug Floor Plan said...

Hmmm, I guess it is semantics. When I'm told a house has been only "slightly modified" I expect maybe a loggia/porch has been enclosed, a wall opened up between two rooms, kitchen & bathroom updated for modern needs (like a dishwasher & more electrical outlets) but not gutted in the process, plus what was necessary to install air conditioning & central heat. But in 'Coxwould' the service wing, about 1/3 of the house, looks nothing like it did in 1915, nothing. & to me moving a staircase is a pretty material change, especially because the room above the new staircase doesn't exist anymore. Yes, the exterior is still easily recognizable but if you placed Dr. John F. Erdmann inside his own front door today & took off his blindfold do you think he'd recognize he was in his own house? I bet he wouldn't.