topic Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT in Home

A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Oznell — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 00:49:49 GMT

Governor and former U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller's ultra-swank Fifth Avenue apartment is the stuff of legend. He first collaborated on it with modernist Jean-Michel Frank in the late Thirties, I believe. Being a very cultivated art connoiseur, Rockefeller crammed the 30 room triplex with priceless abstract and traditional art and curiosities. The apartment expanded and contracted over the years, but I'll show mostly the later, scaled-down version that his widow Happy ended up with. She had my favorite of the classic, top-tier decorators, Albert Hadley, guiding her.

A glimpse of the lobby:

The original living room was 47 feet long. But still, this was a smaller version of the original, mulit-floor plan :

Happy and Nelson amid some of their incredible art collection:

When Happy sold off part of the apartment, she had Albert Hadley redesign the huge, sunny master bedroom as her living room. You can see a bit of the unusual curvy soffited ceiling here, which I'm guessing dates from the apartment's Art Deco origins:

More of the lovely living room, with its invaluable screen and air of luxurious comfort. Designer Albert Hadley famously said, "it's the goldest room you ever saw", and I really enjoy the tawny warmth it exudes:

The sleek library. I think those lamps are Giacometti:

Nelson's original dining room was much colder, with hard angles and bright, primary colored modern art; I much prefer Albert Hadley's subtle, glamorous version. Look at how that gorgeous silvery tea paper shimmers in candlelight! Hadley had tea paper in one of his own apartments too-- looked fab.

For fun here are a few items from their fabulous collection, which was handled by Sotheby's:

Gilded console, which appeared in many spreads on the home:

Of course, Nelson had his own portrait, rendered by Andy Warhol:

Couldn't resist throwing in Happy's pink tourmaline, sapphire, emerald and diamond necklace:

There are so many other objects of beauty-- sculptures, drawings and paintings, including Miros and Picassos, and one-of-a-kind furniture. Even the fireplace andirons are distinctive and stunning! If you are interested, there's tons more to see online.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

mspatmac — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 01:08:17 GMT

Absolutely fantastic

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Nonametoday — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 01:14:24 GMT

Nelson was dyslexic and unable to read. It did not keep him from being governor of NY and VP of the USA. Happy was happy to be his second wife.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Foxxee — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 07:21:00 GMT

Too "stiff", colorless. Very cold and stuffy. I get the feeling you have to be "properly" dressed, no jeans allowed.

Surprised how poorly the furniture is arranged in the living room. Fireplace looks lost against the wall.

The entrance is cold and uninviting.

Black walls????

Blah dining room without the tablescape...lit candles.

Looks like it was designed in the 1940's.

I wouldn't feel comfortable living there.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

faeriemoon — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:06:49 GMT

Very cool.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Love my grandkids — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:09:03 GMT

@Oznell Ghastly. Just awful. It makes me itch just to think of being in any of those rooms.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

spiderw — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:12:08 GMT

Absolutely elegant and classy, the furnishings are beautiful and the decor in every room enhances. It all appeals to my taste.

I visited the Rockefella's estate, Kykuit located at NY in the Hudson Valley. This was many years ago when it first opened for the public to tour. Generations of Rockefeller's lived there. The place was filled with so much beauty and stunning decor and furniture. I was impressed throughout the tour.. The grounds also were a sight to see. There were many modern art pieces on the walls, Nelson was a modern art collector. It was quite an estate and an enjoyable place to visit, I would love to go again.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

stellabystarlight — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:20:22 GMT

Simply spectacular! I love it because of its eclectic design elements!

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roxxy1 — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:29:16 GMT

Swanky ! Love it.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

ECBG — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:44:02 GMT

Beautiful! When rooms are this well designed, the eye moves around smoothly and there is a flow of colors and textures.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

ECBG — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 02:46:11 GMT

@Oznell JUST LOVE your posts! You come up with so many visual gems!!!

Thank you!

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Somertime — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:55:54 GMT

@Oznell Oh, how wonderful! It's amazing that this was photographed more than 40 years ago! It is as appealing to the eye now as it was then! Albert Hadley was a Master! Love the Library brown laquered walls and of course the tea paper. I can picture dinner, there, in candlelight, only, reflecting against the walls shimmering in all it's glory. As you stated, his modern collection was priceless but Hadley was able to blend it so well that it is not jarring! Oh, that was a glorious time in New York!

We attended a high end affair in the Waldorf Astoria and Nelson and Happy were the guests of honor. We were invited to a private reception to meet the Governor and his wife. Rockefeller was larger than life and so full of life, not reserved in any way! He filled up a room! Happy was very plain, nothing to speak of, could have been anyone's wife but very pleasant, not as outgoing as her husband. My husband's comment to me was: wouldn't you think, with all his money, he would have had his teeth fixed! So, of course from that point on, all I could focus on was how poor Rockefeller's teeth were!

I was, always, amazed that Albert Hadley and Sister Parrish were partners in business. So diametrically opposed in design style. His work life was not easy with Sister! So many, many wonderful designers trained at Parrish Hadley!

You made my morning! Thank you!

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

DbinMD — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:40:30 GMT

Considering that this was years ago, It was what that time was for the rich and how they decorated..I dont care for it.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Oznell — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:34:23 GMT

Hey, @ECBG and @Somertime, thank you for kind words! It's my pleasure!

@spider woman, I'm very envious of you getting to see Kykuit in person. Have drooled over images of that beautiful place. I love all the gorgeous Hudson River estates, there's something so dream-like about them...

What a fascinating personal story of the Rockefellers, @Somertime -- right down to earthy Nelson's neglected teeth! I love it. Yeah, that was a fascinating time. Happy seems to have been one of those ladies that "Women's Wear Daily" liked-- they opined that her personal style was "always right". Found this fun photo from then of Marion Javits, Happy, Oscar de la Renta, and John B. Fairchild. Don't they look like they've just had a convivial lunch?

It was a very understated style, for sure:

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

CANDLEQUEEN — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:49:34 GMT

Beautiful, and especially that dining room table-just gorgeous!

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Somertime — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:05:20 GMT

@Oznell Another place, another time! La Grenouille! A beautiful French restaurant! Mortimer's............ah, the ladies who lunch......Nan Kempner, Pat Buckley, Babe Paley, Gloria Guinness, all long gone like the era. It was a fabulous time to be in New York.

I felt sorry for Happy concerning the death of Rockefeller. She survived two scandals in her life, the marriage and the death of Rockefeller. The tried to cover up some very scandalous circumstances of his death. I felt so bad that the circumstances were so public for her. what goes on privately in a marriage id between them but when it is exposed publicly and in unseemly circumstances, it is difficult. She remained a private person until her death but the scandal of his death remains. The Rockefellers are no longer in the forefront but have receded into a quiet private life.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

DREAMON — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:08:59 GMT

The dark wall in the Library is stunning. I also really like the Dining Room.

Thank You for the interesting pictures that you take time to post. I thoroughly enjoy them.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

shoptilyadropagain — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 14:36:01 GMT

Not much I care for. I do "kind of" like the library although I'm sure most won't care for it.

Interesting side note, my youth group was in Washington D.C. when he was V.P. We were wearing matching Navy pants/skirts w/ light blue short sleeve sweaters and it had been arranged to have our picture taken with Birch Bayh outside of the Senate Building (I believe). Afterwards, we were still there and a car pulled up with Vice President Rockefeller and he came over and shook all of our hands. I'm sure there were plenty of security and secret service men around but I don't remember them. This would have been around 75 or 76.

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

tobes — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 19:48:28 GMT

@Oznell love the living room with golden light

Re: A STORIED ROCKEFELLER APARTMENT

Oznell — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:10:03 GMT

I love the golden quality of it too, @tobes.

Cool memory, @shoptilyadropagain!