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Tag Archives: david adler

David Adler’s Armour Mansion: A Pictorial Timeline

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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1940, A Wedding, Carol Burnett, david adler, ellen glendinning frazier, Frances Elkins, grace kelly, john b. kelly, Leola Armour, Lester Armour, national register of historic places, Richard Marx, Robert Altman

David Adler’s legendary Armour mansion, complete with its own recording studio, can be yours for a mere $13.9 million. The Lake Bluff, Illinois home, constructed in 1931 for Lester and Leola Armour of the meat-packing family, has been owned since 1997 by singer-songwriter Richard Marx and his former wife.  Marx initially listed the home and the five acres on which its sits on the shores of Lake Michigan for $18 million in 2014, but there were no takers.  At the time of this writing, the home is the second most expensive single family residence for sale in the Chicago area.  Although the home’s current iteration is that of the showplace of a successful musician, complete with rather stage-y Franco-Italianate interior design, the home has its own colorful history.

Marx Exterior 1

The Lester Armour residence, Arbor Drive, Lake Bluff, Illinois

David Adler, whose magnificent homes stud the shores of Chicago’s northern suburbs like priceless jewels, was a personal friend of Leola Armour. Such was the Armours’ respect for the architect, that when Adler presented them his designs for the Colonial-Federal style residence, they gave an unconditional go-ahead to Adler’s vision.  Adler’s sister, designer Frances Elkins, was responsible for the home’s interiors.

The home was photographed in 1940 by noted photographer Ellen Glendinning Frazier when the Armours hosted luminaries in town for the Democratic National Convention.  As noted in the excellent New York Social Diary, the Armours’s guests included one John B. Kelly, whose daughter, Grace, would later become the Academy Award-winning actress and Her Serene Highness of Monaco.

Armour Home, ca. 1940

The allee of trees leading to the Armour home, July 1940

Leola Armour, Jack Kelly

Leola Armour and Jack Kelly converse in the home’s sunroom, July 1940

Leola Armour lived in the home until the late 1940s, when she and Lester divorced.  Lester continued to reside there upon his subsequent marriage to Russian princess Alexandra Galitzine, who resided there until 1977. The home was rightfully added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion became a celebrity in its own right when it was selected to be one of the locations for Robert Altman’s raucous 1978 film, A Wedding.  There are some good shots of the exterior and interior in the original trailer.

a wedding

“Wedding” stars Paul Dooley, Nina van Pallandt, Geraldine Chaplin and Carol Burnett are visible in this photo of the ivied entrance.

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David Adler’s Eclectic House-on-Hill

01 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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bunky cushing, celia tobin clark, david adler, eastbayrealestate.com, hillsborough, house-on-hill, tobin clark estate

We’ll take a road trip from Chicago to Hillsborough, California, where David Adler designed his 1930 masterpiece, “House-on-Hill” for Celia Tobin Clark, an heiress to the Hibernia Bank fortune.  Her husband was the owner of the Montana Mining Company. The home is located on the lyrically named Verballee Lane.

If you look at this gallery of photos from a 2016 real estate listing, you’ll see that Adler didn’t seem to exhibit loyalty to any particular architectural period when designing this house.  The Tudor influence is certainly present in the exterior, but the interior is a fantastic amalgam of styles.  Somehow, it all works.  He probably had a marvelous time in designing the home in the glorious San Francisco area.  At one time, the 35,000-square-foot home rested upon 400 acres.  In 2012, the estate was offered for sale for $29 million. As of 2016, the price was lowered to $23 million.

This post is dedicated to the memory of my beloved friend Bunky Cushing for his enduring support, as well as his assistance in locating this vintage photo of this estate.

David Adler’s House-on-Hill, Hillsborough, California, circa 1930

An Inside View of David Adler’s 1406 North Astor Street

06 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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1406 North Astor, 1406 North Astor Street, david adler

David Adler designed the legendary home at 1406 Astor Street for the Ryerson family.  The home was completed in 1921.  Designed with a distinct Louis XVI influence, it remained a single-family residence for years, then was carved into apartments.  The home went on the market in 1988.  Within 24 hours, it was purchased by an interior designer, who painstakingly restored it to its former glory.  The house sold again in 2006 for $9.2 million.  It continues to be a stunning example of Adler’s design, as well as the stewardship of its devoted owners.

Below, a photo of the dining room in the 1920s.  Note the interlocking “Rs” in the frieze above the door.

The dining room, photographed circa 2001, when the house was for sale for $9 million.

More photos from when 1406 North Astor Street was for sale in 2001.

David Adler Treasure for Sale

31 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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Charles Pike, david adler, Frances Elkins, historic home, lake forest

Perhaps it is the difficult economic climate that affords us the rare opportunity to view interiors of some of the storied houses of David Adler. The Chicago-based architect designed many homes in the city’s North Shore and Gold Coast areas.  Adler had an unerring eye for proportion, and a limitless vocabulary of styles. His sister, Frances Elkins, was a celebrated interior designer, and assisted him with many of his projects.

This Adler-designed lakefront treasure is for sale for $6.2 million.  Adler designed the 21-room home in 1916 for Charles and Frances Pike. Mr. Pike was the son of Zebulon Pike, for whom Pike’s Peak is named.  When you approach the house, from the street, it arises like something out of a dream.  I’d always wanted to see what it looked like inside.  Although a friend of mine lived down the street, he did not know the current owner, and one does not go anonymously knocking on the doors in this ‘hood.  Hence, I am delighted to present to you these views.

The front elevation, with its commanding entrance:

 Adler designed the villa to take advantage of the property’s proximity to Lake Michigan.

Let’s catch a breeze along the classically proportioned loggia.

The courtyard, circa 1970

The courtyard features a signature Adler design, paved with stones he selected from the home’s beach, all those years ago.

                                               The ultimate beach stone craft project

Now, taking a break from the home’s exterior grandeur, we’ll wander down to the beach.

We’ll wipe the sand off our feet, walk back up to the home’s entrance, and step into the magnificent foyer.  Note Adler’s masterful treatment of the pediments, and how they direct your eyes toward the coffered ceiling.

Next, we’ll poke our noses in the paneled living room.
Entertains quite a few, wouldn’t you say?

The dining room accommodates an ample number of guests.

The gallery is another Adler signature item.  If only if the excessive window treatments and furnishings didn’t detract from the “lovely bones.”

Another room is faithful to the home’s Mediterranean roots.

Here we see a large bedroom.  Wonder if it overlooks the lake.

Not to be unkind to the current owners, who have no doubt poured millions into maintaining this residence, but clearing some of the furniture inventory and window treatments would make the home truly shine.

Our tour is complete.  I hope the new owners bestow the same amount of care the the present owners have lavished on this landmark.

See the listing.

Rescue Me. Sincerely, David Adler

31 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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Chateau Montgiron, david adler, historic home, lake bluff, Poole House, restoration

This 1913 David Adler masterpiece is on the market for $2.6 million. Adler and Henry C. Dangler designed the French-influenced home for Ralph Poole. According to the wonderful book, Classic Country Estates of Lake Forest, Adler may have been inspired by the Chateau Montgiron when designing this home, which is located a few blocks away from the shore of Lake Michigan north of Chicago. The chateau sits on 8.26 acres of land, providing a substantial frame for such an extraordinary residence.

The home is in desperate need of some TLC, but whoever the current owners are, they should be thanked profusely for the care they put into it over the years.

Let’s approach the house from the circular drive.

The first thing you see is the magnificently proportioned facade.

The circular drive viewed from the home’s entrance

Upon entering the house, the visitor is welcomed by a dazzling foyer, including one of Adler’s perfectly rendered staircases.  Except for some staining to the bases around the door, the foyer looks impeccable.

Foyer leads to graceful staircase

Perfect bridal staircase


However, the trouble begins after the dreamlike entry.  Let’s wander into the music room.  It is, well, green. However, the essential French details remain, just waiting to be uncovered.

It’s not easy being green.

An older photo depicts the enfilade procession of doors, with the music room in the foreground.

A little enfilade going on here

The next room, likely the main salon, is decidedly pink. Pouf window treatments obscure perfectly proportioned French doors.  Adler surely paces through here in the darkest hours, spectral paintbrush in hand.

Oh please, rethink the pink!

The library is pretty darned close to being perfect.  Nothing a little floor refinishing and wood oil can’t restore.

With a bit of restoration, the library will be a best seller.

Imagine taking breakfast in the solarium, and watching the seasons change. There is some weather-related damage, but it is certainly repairable.

Solarium has nearly wraparound views.

A wall-mounted fountain adds whimsy to the solarium.

Just add water: Instant joy.

Uh-oh, it’s time to tour the dining room. What happened here?  A ruin.  A magnificent one, but very much a ruin. The room is reminiscent of the dining room in the home Adler designed for the Ryerson family on Chicago’s Astor Street.  The amazing Louis V influence, the symmetry.  Under all that green, the impeccable bones are still intact.

It’s REALLY not easy being green.

The dining room in its pre-green days

The poor kitchen.  Adler must shed ghostly tears when he wafts through here. Yet the possibilities are endless.  Nothing that a gut job and some Peacock or Smallbone cabinetry won’t fix.

Light filled kitchen seeks overhaul opportunity.

The abandoned greenhouse and the four-bay garage look so forlorn.  Imagine the delicate blooms that were once coaxed out of the greenhouse.

Garage and greenhouse need love.

On toward the gardens.  According to Stephen M. Salny, author of the excellent book, The Country Houses of David Adler, the Poole family commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm to design the gardens, but the plans were never executed. Apparently, Adler directed the landscaping.  Salny writes, “A grass terrace introduced the garden in perfect alignment with the south elevation of the house. A pair of steps on alternate ends of the terrace gave way to the garden, where the lawn was dotted with fruit trees and bordered by flower-lined beds of colorful lilacs and peonies. The inside edge of these beds formed yet another border for the garden’s center court, which gradually sloped to a lower level.”

Great “bones” still exist of the formal garden.

According to The Country Houses of David Adler, a field of alfalfa once flourished in view of the home’s south elevation.  The alfalfa supplied food for the cows that were once housed in the estate’s barn.  The barn is no longer extant.

Rear elevation shows some damage.

Side view, indicating neglected beauty.

I wish I had the ability to restore this landmark home. Perhaps you do, and will consider buying this treasure house.  Here is the listing.

Another David Adler Hits the Market

31 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by M.K.E. in Uncategorized

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david adler, Innisfail, Jean Morton, Joseph Cudahy, lake forest

Can you tell I am a fan of this renowned architect? As I mentioned in a previous post, I do not know whether it is the sluggish economy, a general need to downsize, or escalating property taxes, but an unusual number of Adler-designed homes are for sale.  This gives us a unique opportunity to “go inside” these private residences, and appreciate what their owners have done to maintain them over the years.

This home was a design collaboration between Adler and Henry Dangler. Constructed in 1914, the home has 17 rooms, an in-ground pool, and a tennis court.  It was built for Joseph Cudahy (meat fortune) and his wife, Jean Morton (salt fortune). The original name of the home is Innisfail.  It is currently listed for $7.9 million.

According to the real estate listing, the home was once the setting for actual dog-and-pony shows that were staged long ago by the children of Lake Forest.

Here is the rear elevation, showing the classic balustrade and urns that ring the back of the home.

A private courtyard offers a refined outdoor setting.

The pristine pool.

And the tennis courts.

On to the interiors.  As in many Adler homes, this one features a substantial gallery.

No Adler home would be complete without a handsome wood-paneled library.

Entertaining guests is easy with these large salons.

One dines happily here.

Will you be the next caretaker of this architectural gem?

See the listing.

 

 

 

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