Friday Photo: A Smoking Party

"A Smoking Party", 1824. The Lewis Walpole Library.

We have a new event this spring! On May 12th, we will be pairing fine rums and cigars in celebration of the historic rum trade. As the print above from the Lewis Walpole Library shows, gentlemen enjoyed puffing and quaffing in social situations in the 19th century. Of course, we will be outside instead of sitting around the Hammond-Harwood dining room! All guests (of age, of course!) are invited to partake in the sampling from 5pm-7pm in our beautiful garden. Please call 410-263-4683 ext.10 for reservations. $60 per person.

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Inspired by Hammond-Harwood

By Intrepid Intern Tara Owens

Famed architect William Buckland is the man responsible for the design and details of the Hammond-Harwood House.  Buckland’s architectural style was greatly influenced by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580).  In fact, the Hammond-Harwood House is based on Palladio’s design for the Villa Pisani (see pictures below).

Just as Palladio served as inspiration to Buckland, so too would Buckland serve as an inspiration to future architects. The Hammond-Harwood House has come to be known as one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in America, and as a result, was used as the template for other great American mansions.

One such house is the Vaughn Nixon house located in the area of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia. It was constructed in 1925-1926 and is said to have been Atlanta architect Neel Reid’s homage to the Hammond-Harwood House.

Another example of domestic architecture inspired by the Hammond-Harwood House is Marienruh, a historic fieldstone colonial revival country estate built for heiress Alice Astor, the daughter of John Jacob Astor IV.  Marienruh is situated on 100 acres overlooking the Hudson River and was constructed by renowned architect Mott B. Schmidt.

Lastly, there is the Ladew House and Gardens, built for Harvey S. Ladew circa 1929. Located in Monkton, Maryland, the Ladew House was a renovation and addition to a pre-existing frame house on the Pleasant Valley Farm owned by the Scarff family. The original structure consisted of two sections built in the last half of the eighteenth century and first half of the nineteenth century. Architect James W. O’Connor and interior decorators Billy Baldwin, Jean Levy, and Ruby Ross Wood aided Ladew in the property’s renovation. Unlike the two previously discussed houses, the Hammond-Harwood House influence does not lie in the structure’s exterior, but is found in architectural details inside. The drawing room features broken pediments and molding copied from the Hammond-Harwood House. See here for pictures of the space.

Friday Photo: Maryland Day!

 

Hello HHH enthusiasts!

This year we are participating in the annual Maryland Day, and the focus is kids! In previous years, we’ve had open houses on Maryland Day, but we wanted to enrich the program and provide something fun and unique. So, for 2012, we are opening our doors to all families and inviting the kids to try on reproduction 18th century clothing as well as learn a little 18th century etiquette. Once your child has mastered their bow or curtsy, they will receive a coloring book and postcards as a reward for their stellar manners. No registration is necessary for this free program, and we can promise lots of smiles (as proof, see picture above!) and a perfect bow or curtsy by the end of the day!

Friday Photo: Buxus Sempervirens

The weather is beautiful today, and so is the garden at Hammond-Harwood House. I love to look at the cheerful daffodils that are currently blooming, but I think my favorite thing in the garden is a less jaunty-looking plant. The dark green shrub in the picture above is American Boxwood, or Buxus sempervirens. According to the American Boxwood Society, boxwood was first planted in America around 1653, on Shelter Island in New York. It became very popular in the Federal Period (late 18th-early 19th century), and then again during the Colonial Revival movement of the 1920s and 30s. The boxwood at Hammond-Harwood House is said to have been planted by Frances Loockerman, who lived here from 1811 until her death in 1857. Supposedly she had the boxwood in the back garden planted in the shape of a heart; although the boxwood sustained some damage in the blizzard infamously known as Snowmaggedon, I think if you squint just right you can still see the heart…

Friday Photo: Blue Shoes

I’ve had a long week of paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. It’s for a worthwhile reason, but still tedious. Now that it’s Friday and almost five o’clock it’s time to relax. How do I relax? Shoe shopping of course. So, to get inspired for some shopping, I thought I’d show you one of the most beautiful pairs of 18th century shoes I’ve ever seen. These are the ca. 1770 Eliza Pinckney shoes from the Charleston Museum, and I highly recommend you read their blog post about them.

From the Charleston Museum, charlestonmuseum.org