The Great Estates: Greenwich, Connecticut, 1880-1930

Canaan, New Hampshire: Phoenix Publishing, 1989. 2nd. Hardcover. Good - slight bumping on corners and spine. Brown cloth boards with cream cloth spine; gilt decoration on spine & front cover; light green pictorial & color illus. illus. flyleaves, 211 pp., many BW & color illus. "The wealthy who were attracted to this corner of Connecticut brought with them a city sophistication which was reflected in their country estates. They erected an incredible number of homes fashioned after medieval castles, French chateaus, English manor houses, Italian villas, and grand mansions of virtually every architectural persuasion. It was truly an era of great estates, and this is the chronicle of that extraordinary period. This book is, first of all, a thoughfully reesearched commentary on forty-six carefully selected and architecturally significant examples of these great estates: their mansions, extensive outbuildings, beautifully landscaped grounds, fabulous gardens, mirror ponds and lakes, and other luxurious details designed for the pleasure of their owners. In addition, it provides glimpses and insights into the world in which the families who built these grandiose homes lived and entertained." (dj).