Sunday, November 21, 2010

Van Rensaellar mansion 12/22/07

I posted some pictures yesterday of a walk around Rittenhouse Square, and many of them featured the Anthropologie store at 18th and Walnut. I love this building and was so happy when Anthopologie took it over in the 90's; it meant that I would finally be able to get into it.

I've always wanted to do some research on the building, but my curiosity never trumped my laziness until today. I was perusing my pictures trying to decide which ones to keep in the album and realized that not only did I still not know the first thing about the building or that kooky portrait ceiling, but I had no information to provide here other than-cool mansion with neat architectual details-I don't know the first thing about it.

I was so ashamed of my utter lack of knowledge and my inability to explain any of it I finally went online today in between errands to try to pick up some information. Well, I still don't anything about the portrait ceiling, but I did find a couple tidbits and some pictures.

The house was built circa 1896 by the Boston firm Peabody, Sterns for a financier and Philadelphia Orchestra supporter named Alexander Von (or Van) Rensselaer. I couldn't find too much on Alex, however the van Rensselaers were a prestigious Dutch family who owned a piece of upstate New York from the 1600s (Wikipedia).

I found some pictures of the house, most courtesy of this site.

The pictures. Unless otherwise noted, they were taken in 1974. Sorry they're so small.

Just in case you didn't see the 2007 photos, pages 2 and 3 of this album.

That's all the architectural history I have for today; stay tuned, though-I'm determined to find out about the portrait ceiling!


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