The Richards DAR House built 1860, Mobile, Alabama
The Richards DAR house is one of Mobile's finest examples of the Italianate style architecture. This Antebellum townhouse is famous for its lavish cast-iron gallery depicting the four seasons. The house is listed on the National Register and was built during Mobile's Golden period in 1860 a year before the Civil war. This beautiful Town House of the Italianate style tells the story of Mobile history during its antebellum period. Steamboat Captain Charles G. Richards and his wife, Caroline Elizabeth Steele, built their dream house in 1860.
The Ideal Cement Company purchased the house from Richards’ descendants in 1946. After being turned over to the city of Mobile in 1973, the six Mobile Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution leased the home for dollar a year from the city of Mobile. The organization is responsible for furnishing and administering it as a Period House Museum.
The house museum is magnificently decorated with carved ornate Carrara marble mantels, double parlors and reception hall with massive brass and bronze gas chandeliers designed of fanciful mythological figures holding aloft etched and crenelated glass globes manufactured by Cornelius & Company one of the leading light fixture companies of the 19th century. The front door has it's original panes of ruby Bohemian glass frame the doorway, silver bell pulls for calling servants are in each room and the front gallery floor is made of gray and white imported marble squares. In the Richards – DAR House Museum hangs one of the largest crystal chandeliers in the city, reflecting in a French mirror over the mantel. The furnishings of this house museum date back prior to 1870.
The Front hall with it's curved stair
Front hall
The front door has it's original panes of ruby Bohemian glass
The front door has it's original panes of ruby Bohemian glass
Richards Family portrait
a pierce-carved rosewood rococo etagere by New Orleans cabinetmaker Prudent Mallard 1860
One of the only original pieces of furniture is the 1860 Rosewood square piano in the front hall.
Gilt bronze gasolier manufactured by Cornelius & Company of Philadelphia in the reception hall
double parlors
Carrara marble mantel
double parlors
double parlors
Carrara marble mantel
double parlors
Marie Antoinette carved into the Carrara marble mantels
Dinning room
Dinning room
Upstairs hall
Bedroom
1850's Rosewood Baby's bed by New Orleans cabinetmaker Prudent Mallard
1850's Rosewood Baby's bed by New Orleans cabinetmaker Prudent Mallard
1850's Old Paris porcelain cigar holder
1830's Alabama made cherry bed
This Antebellum townhouse is famous for its lavish cast-iron gallery
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The cast-iron gallery is beautifully designed and crafted, and gives the front of the house a very special look. But I wonder what the Italianate label was applied to - just the architecture, I am guessing.
ReplyDeleteDid Italianate houses normally have cast iron work on their front? Normally I might think cast iron work was Victorian British taste.
Have a very happy 2011, full of good blogging :)
Happy New Years!!! Yes Italianate applies to the architectural style of the Home. What makes this home Italianate is the front door with brackets. The brackets at the roof line. The low hipped overhang styled roof and the bay window to the side. Each reign in America had a different spin on the The Italinate style. Here on the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Mobile ornate cast-iron verandas were very popular. Also during this time building where the front was entirely made of cast-iron in the Italianate style very popular. They could be mail-ordered and although a American invention they were also shipped to Europe.
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