READ THIS: Newport Mansions: Postcards of the Gilded Age by Federico Santi & John Gacher Our Coverage Sponsored by Stribling and Associates
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Since the mid-19th century, Newport, Rhode Island has been a major tourist attraction. The beautiful resort town, known for its gorgeous beaches, impressive mansions, as well as its terrific shopping opportunities, has long made it a destination for those looking for an escape from city life. By the turn of the 20th century, the elite upper echelons of society had made it known that Newport was the place to see and be seen, come summertime. Mansions sprung up throughout the picturesque town, each one trying to out-do the last, and each one a testament to the owners' wealth. Everyone who was anyone in society flocked to Newport for the summer months, and this ended up attracting tourists, who came to gape at the wealthy and their summer homes. Names like Vanderbilt, Whitney, and Belmont were just a few of the names associated with the sprawling estates. In Newport Mansions: Postcards of the Gilded Age, published by Schiffer, authors Federico Santi & John Gacher manage to give readers a glimpse into that magical "Gilded Age." The postcards (divided into four main sections: Newport Cliff Walk, Newport Mansions, Bellevue Avenue, and Newport Beaches) capture the beauty of the beaches, the majesty of the mansions, and transport us back to a time where everybody who was anybody found a way to summer in Newport. Included in the descriptions of some of the postcards are the original notes that were written on them, affording readers an even more in-depth look into the Newport Society. An informative, beautiful, and thoroughly enjoyable read!
One of my favorite places to visit in New England is Newport, Rhode Island. I love to marvel at all of the fantastic mansions. The wealth and opulence that once existed there never ceases to amaze me. This is exactly why I love Newport Mansions: Postcards of the Gilded Age, by Federico Santi and John Gacher. I could flip through the pages for hours. It is so interesting, not just because of images of the mansions, but also because they are through the lens of a different time. The postcards featured in the book are actually from the time during which the mansions were in their heyday. If I can't make it out to Newport, I at least have this wonderful book!
At the dawning of the Gilded Age, American industrialists were busy. Busy collecting, traveling, and above all else, building. The underlying activity of these men of fame and fortune was one primary occupation - the making and spending of vast amounts of money. One spectacular remnant of this jewel-toned era is the entire town of Newport, Rhode Island. Schiffer give us "Newport Mansions", by Federico Santi and John Gacher in a collection of postcards of these cottages by the sea. The book showcases the architecture of the day in a unique popular methodology: souvenir postcards. Strolling along Cliff Walk, or taking a tour of the magnificent homes still standing and now restored, is the only other way to experience Newport. But postcards have been a vacationer's long favorite souvenir, both for sharing an immediate sense of leisure, and for reminiscing later, once home. Lovers of the rich and famous will enjoy this vicarious tour of their domestic life. Collectors of postcards will drool at the rarity of this collection and benefit from the authors' points of view. As members of the Newport Community and purveyors of antique ares and furnishings, the duo offers an insiders look at the past, the history, and the aura that surrounds these stately homes.
Most people are only aware of the mansions that over the past years have been open to the public. My best friend her whole life wanted to get married in a Newport mansion. I got to share in her excitement three Summers ago at her wedding. It transcending me back in time feeling as if I was a part of history and a life that was opulent and relaxing all at the same time. This book helped me regain that same feeling. The book shows at least 100 or more of the pictures of many of the mansions, famous and not. These Summer “Cottages” were owned by the Super Rich and American Royalty. Some of the residences became schools like the Miramar residence .
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Newport, Rhode Island, nicknamed "The Queen of Resorts," has been celebrated in beautiful postcard portrayals for over a hundred years. Today, these vintage cards illuminate the glories of the Gilded Age, when huge mansions or "cottages" built by competing industrialists blossomed along Bellevue Avenue and The Cliff Walk, turning a once-quiet New England watering hole into the apex of nouveau riche destinations. With most Newport cards depicting images of these fabulous mansions, they illustrate pictorially how the new "American royalty" spent their leisure time and their wealth. This captivating book features over 200 period images of the mansions, the beautiful beaches, and the shopping areas where the Newport Summer Colony gathered to do what they did best: spend money. See how Newport was forever changed by the prolific growth of "cottages" during the late 19th century. Today, many of these testaments to power and wealth are open to the public as house museums, where thousands visit annually to see firsthand how the rich and famous lived. Includes a guide to postcard values and collector tips.
