'
Kiluna Farm', the
Ralph Pulitzer estate designed by
Walker & Gillette c. 1910 in
North Hills. Pulitzer was the son of
Joseph Pulitzer and publisher of the
New York World. The estate is pictured here in 1942 under the ownership of
William S. Paley (before his 1947 marriage to
Barbara Cushing Mortimer, better known as Babe Paley). Click
HERE and
HERE for more on '
Kiluna Farm' which was demolished c. 1990 after an arson fire destroyed much of the building.
Photos from the Library of Congress.
9 comments:
A few links -
http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1C420978J1413.25271&profile=all&uri=link=3100007~!195052~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=Browse&menu=search&ri=2&source=~!siarchives&term=Kiluna+Farm+%28Manhasset%2C+New+York%29&index=PSUBJ
(Garden pictures.)
http://vintagemuffy.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/babepaley1964.jpg
(Obligatory picture of Babe Paley sitting by her pond.)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304636404577299831059349576.html
(For anyone who missed it, an article from the WSJ which shows the interiors of the Paley apartment in Manhattan.)
I especially remember the living room in the early '70's. The wooden floor was painted in high gloss emerald green enamel to resemble snakeskin. I'd never seen anything like it before. It was stunning.
The WASP country club look personified.
The first Mrs. Paley owned a famous mirrored bed which has been much copied in recent times by decorators like Miles Redd. I think that Flo's favorite decorator has one, perhaps the original, in her NY apartment. But I digress.
By God you're right.
"John purchased the 1930s mirrored bed at Sothebys.
The bed was originally made by French designer Serge Roche for Dorothy Hart Hearst Paley Hirshon."
http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/NYSDhouse/bunnywilliams.php
Now if I could just find a pic of that high gloss emerald green snakeskin floor...
-F
I had to look. Otherwise, the image of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli in a mirrored bed would have kept me up nights.
http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/NYSDhouse/images/bunnywilliams/P1150394.jpg
And the library was lacquered green as well- with a collection of those Rockingham tulip vases on the mantel. I was quite young at the time, but was still struck how stylish it was
Chronicle of a Wood Floor Foretold in Wool:
http://stylecourt.blogspot.com/2008/09/wall-to-wall-ii.html
-frustrated
Back before Babe, in the era that these photos of Kiluna were taken, Bill and Dorothy Paley hung out during the week in this Beekman Place townhouse. Clearly the first Mrs. Paley was not without style either--and Flo, you will notice the aforementioned bed in some of the shots
http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult_VPage&VBID=24UP1GYHXWJG&SMLS=1&RW=1440&RH=785
My distant relatives were farmers here for Mr Pulitzer - Frederick & Minnie Hitchman. They were from Spratton, UK, and were related to my grandmother's family of Higgs.
Thank you for these wonderful photos.
Ron
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