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Built in the late 1890s, this rather rare example of Edwardian Flemish Baroque architecture hides in a quiet Toorak street.
Hiding behind a late flowering hibiscus, this medium sized villa features the beautiful rounded roofline and finial inspired by the Flemish Baroque period. Restrained decoration can be seen above the window.
Saldy, the front bay window was entirely obscured by foliage. I wonder what the glass in it would look like?
This very unusual and impressive Reformist (Arts and Crafts) style villa built in a quiet, tree lined side street may be found in the suburb of Wendouree in the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat.
Built in the years just after the Great War (1918), this house is particularly special owing to the brown and red bricks with which it is constructed. The brickwork us the major design element of the house and gives it a rather Tudoresque style without the black and white stucco and fretwork usually attributed to such a style. The designers Percy Richards and Herbert Leslie Coburn of the Ballarat firm Richards, Coburn, Richards have shown admiration for the Arts and Crafts movement by making the bricks real features in their design. The Spanish Mission style grilles over the vestibuke ans side entrance were obviously a later edition.
Arts and Crafts houses challenged the formality of the mid and high Victorian styles that preceded it, and were often designed with uniquely angular floor plans.
This style of house would have appealed to the moneyed upper-classes of Ballarat whose money came from either the Nineteenth Century gold rush, or from the wool or farming industries that developed post the boom. Comfortable and very English, it would have shown respectablity and not inconsiderable wealth.
“Rupertswood” in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne is one of Australia's most important mansions, both historically and architecturally. Built as a residence for Sir William John Clarke (1831 – 1897), the first Australian born Baronet, in 1874 – 1876 it became a power seat in the great English tradition. The property covered an area of 31,000 acres. Today the estate has been greatly reduced due to subdivision to a more modest 1,100 acres.
Designed by local architect George L. Browne, "Rupertswood" is a 50 room bluestone mansion built for Sir William John Clarke by contractors George Sumner & Co. Designed in the Victorian Italianate style, the two storey mansion is surmounted by a 100 foot tower with a Mansard roof and widow's walk. The foundation stone for “Rupertswood” was laid on 29 August 1874 with some 1000 people in attendance. The house was completed in 1876. The grand entrance is paved with Victorian tessellated tiles and the house is flanked by splendid wide and shady verandahs on three sides. The ballroom was added in late 1881 or 1882. Interior decorations were carried out by Schemmel and Shilton. There are six magnificent stained glass panels made by Urie and Fergeson in 1874-76, considered some of the finest examples in the world. The elaborate mansion with its large estate demonstrates the important status of Clarke whose prominence as a colonist was recognised in 1882 by his appointment as a baronet.
William Sangster designed the gardens at “Rupertswood” originally covering an area of 99 acres, and once boasted tennis courts, croquet lawns and an underground fernery. “Rupertswood” also had its own private railway station where hundreds of guests to grand balls would arrive from Spencer Street. Balls, hunt meets and weekend house parties were frequent. Anyone of note, in Victorian and Edwardian society, was entertained by Sir John and Lady Eliza Clarke. Many historical figures visited “Rupertswood” during its history, including the then Duke and Duchess of York, (later to become King George V and Queen Mary), Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and several Governors of Victoria. The estate also had its own half battery of horse artillery when Sir William John Clarke formed a small permanent force in 1885.
“Rupertswood” holds a place in the great sporting rivalry between Australia and England, as it was on a field at “Rupertswood” that the “Ashes” were created. On Christmas Eve of 1882, after a congenial lunch, Sir William Clarke suggested a social game between the English Cricket team and a local side, made up largely of “Rupertswood” staff. By all accounts, it was an enjoyable game with no one really keeping score, however, it was generally agreed that the English won. Pat Lyons, a worker at “Rupertswood”, clearly remembered the afternoon many years later. It was his understanding that Lady Clarke, at dinner that evening, had presented Ivo Bligh with a pottery urn. It was purported to contain the ashes of a burnt bail. This was a light hearted gesture to commemorate England's win at “Rupertswood”.
By 1922, “Rupertswood” had passed from the Clarke family into the possession of Hugh Victor McKay (1865 – 1926), a self-made millionaire, industrialist and inventor of “Sunshine Harvester”. His dream of owning “Rupertswood” had been realised, if however, a little short lived. He died at “Rupertswood” only four years after acquiring it. A short time later one of Australia's greatest pastoralist, Queenslander William Naughton acquired the property. One year later he sold the mansion and 1,100 acres to the Roman Catholic Salesian Order. The mansion then became a school for under privileged boys.
Today “Rupertswood” is open to the public. The mansion has undergone extensive restoration, with the help of interior designer and Victorian architecture specialist Jacqui Robertson, reinstating elaborate Victorian colour and decorative schemes, and operating as a boutique hotel.
here's what the shower looks like from the hallway. At this point the walls still need to be painted.
Located in quiet Peel Street, built opposite the Melbourne city side of Windsor station stands the former Windsor Post and Telegraph Offices.
Built between 1907 and 1908, the Windsor Post and Telegraph Offices were designed by prominent Melbourne architect and former Commonwealth Works Director for Victoria Horrace John MacKennal (18?? - 1949). It is of an Arts and Crafts federation freestyle design with American Romanesque influences. Detailed lead light windows, stone, red brick and a pitched slate roof combine with classical and Art Noveau detail.
Horace John Mackennal joined the Commonwealth Government service in 1901, and was Commonwealth Works Director for Victoria from 1912 until his retirement in 1939.
And I'm back to flickr-ing!
I've been on a bit of photo hiatus over the holidays and then some!
Got a new camera and will be shooting this week and posting soonish.
Cheers!
This is a house in San Antonio Heights that I tiled a custom fireplace that is double sided to match.
This is Sintesi NewSlate Tile. Newslate is a ColorBody porcelain tile that is printed with HD Technology. Check out this product and more at www.southcypress.com/.
Treaty House at Waitangi, day four on our trip up north, March 2012.
In New Zealand, the Treaty House refers to the former house of the British Resident in New Zealand, James Busby. The Treaty of Waitangi, the document that established the British Colony of New Zealand was signed in the grounds of the Treaty House on 6 February 1840.
The grounds had previously been the site of other important events, such as the signing of the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand. The house and grounds remained in private hands until 1932, when they were purchased by Governor General Viscount Bledisloe and donated to the nation. They were dedicated as a national reserve in 1934, in a ceremony attended by thousands of people, both Māori and Pākehā, and including the Māori King. It was the site of another major event in 1940, when the centenary of the Treaty signing was celebrated. From 1947 the grounds became the site of annual Waitangi Day celebrations.
The house has been a New Zealand Historic Places Trust Category I listed building since 1983. It contains a museum devoted to the Treaty and to life in the house in the mid nineteenth century. Elsewhere in the grounds are a carved whare runanga and the large waka taua "Nga Toki Matawhaorua", both built for the 1940 celebrations.
Detail view of an old door leading into the imposing grain elevator on Prospect Street In the Village of Mantua.The building is clad in slate tiles, a most unusual choice in these parts. Slate is normally reserved for use as a roofing material. Perhaps it was selected as a better choice than wood siding because it did not require painting and maintenance. It would have been a challenge back in the 1890s (and even now) to paint this building given its size and height. Even slate tiles don't last forever. Usually it's the fasteners that fail first; nails corrode allowing the tiles to slip out of place. However most of the tile remains and the building is considered a local landmark.
Johannes Brahms: Guten Abend, gute Nacht (Lullaby)
Partially obscured by a magnificent pink magnolia in full bloom, this smart Reformist (Arts and Crafts) style villa may be found in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy.
Built between Federation (1901) and the Great War (1914), the shingled elongated mansard awning above the bay window and the choice of red brick to build the villa from are very Arts and Crafts inspired, and are typical of the Arts and Crafts Movement in Australia. However, it is the angular vestibule window of stained glass with a projecting window frame with an angular support that matches those of the bay window that is perhaps this villa's most striking architectural feature.
Arts and Crafts houses challenged the formality of the mid and high Victorian styles that preceded it, and were often designed with uniquely angular floor plans. This is a fine example with the entrance at the side of the house, rather than at the front as Victorian homes had.