1

Winter 2014 • NO. 174A Publication of The Preservation Society of Newport County

2

1 2

5

8

10 11

3

7

9

6

4

3

Our MissionGreat Houses connect people to a nation’s heritage and open windows to another

age. The Preservation Society of Newport County is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect, preserve, and present an exceptional collection of house museums and landscapes in one of the most historically intact cities in America. We hold in public trust the Newport Mansions® which are an integral part of the living fabric of Newport, Rhode Island. These sites exemplify three centuries of the finest achievements in American architecture, decorative arts, and landscape design spanning the Colonial era to the Gilded Age. Through our historic properties, educational programs, and related activities we engage the public in the story of America’s vibrant cultural heritage. We seek to inspire and promote an appreciation of the value of preservation to enrich the lives of people everywhere.

Winter 2014 • NO. 174

Contents 4 The Cutting Edge

5 Scholars Program Receives Major Grant

6 Vanderbilt Busts Acquired

7 Life at Home, 1890 -1950

8 Your Gift Your Way

9 Profiles in Preservation

10 Studying the British Country House

11 Annual Fund

12 Newport Symposium

13 Glamour Girls

14 An American Story

16 Calendar of Events

17 Employee News

page

page

winter 2014 3

A Look Back at 2013

The Preservation Society hosted a variety of events in 2013, from a Venetian Summer Masked Ball to celebrate the return of the Venetian paintings to The Elms, to the annual children's party at Green Animals, Newport Flower Show, Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, and other educational and fundraising activities. Here are a few highlights:

1) Theodore Stautberg, Jr., Alison Devenny,Edward Stautberg and Susan Stautberg unmasked at the Venetian Ball.

2) Chef Michel Richard was a popular draw at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival.

3) Angela & Gary Moore couldn't resist the dance floor at the Venetian Ball.

4) Alice Ross (left) and Barbara Chapman, co-chairs of the Venetian Ball, with Duncan Chapman.

5) Robert & Fraser Maloney, Susan Ross, Sarah Ross, Don Ross, and Jamie Ross in a festive spirit at the Holiday Dinner Dance.

6) David & Judy Leys at the Annual Meeting.

7) David & Lynda Lindh masquerading at the Venetian Ball.

8) The Breakers Great Hall was festively decorated for the Holiday Dinner Dance.

9) Peter & Eaddo Kiernan celebrated the return of the Venetian paintings at The Elms.

10) Kati Machtley, Brenda Carlin, Edward Kane and Mary Kozik got together at the Chinese Tea House before the Major Donor Dinner.

11) Les Ballard and granddaughter Katherine, along with her parents, Lesley and Mark Hull, wait for the entertainment to begin at the Green Animals Children's Party.

Photos by: corbettphotography.net Andrea Carneiro

The Preservation Society is grateful to Carol and Les Ballard for their support in underwriting this issue of the Newport Gazette.

4

by Trudy Coxe, CEO & Executive Director

Just days before this issue of the Newport Gazette went to press, the Preservation Society received some very, very welcome news. The Newport Zoning Board voted 4 -1 to issue the Certificate of Appropriateness for the welcome center that we propose to build at The Breakers. The Board members upheld our appeal of the earlier narrow rejection of the project by the Historic District Commission, agreeing with us that the HDC had made significant legal and proce-dural errors. We are very grateful to all the commissioners for their diligent attention to the complex issues.

As we have shared with you previously, our plan is for a very modest building, offering only light, pre-packaged refreshments--not a restaurant--as well as clean, accessible restrooms and state-of-the-art ticketing facilities. It will be hidden from both the house and the street in a grove of trees. Architects and preservationists from Newport and around the state have agreed with the Preservation Society that our welcome center plan is the right design in the right place.

Last fall, I had the opportunity to do some traveling in Europe. It started with a two-day meeting of our International Council in England. We visited some amazing museums and historic sites, including Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey,

Blenheim Palace and Waddesdon Manor. After that meeting, my husband and I traveled to Italy, where we visited some of the world's greatest museums, including the Uffizi, the Vatican and the Colosseum.

And everywhere we went, whether in the city or the country, whether art museum or historic house, every place that we visited had one major thing in common: each one provided welcoming visitor amenities, including a place to sit down and eat or have a cup of coffee, and accessible, clean, modern restrooms. These amenities did not detract from our understanding and appreciation of the beauty and history of our surroundings; but they did make our visits that much more comfortable and enjoyable.

As a world-renowned icon of the Gilded Age, and one of the top ten most visited historic houses in America, The Breakers should offer no less in the way of courtesy, comfort and hospitality to the 400,000 people who visit it each year.

Our work costs millions of dollars annually; the Preservation Society also creates jobs and generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually in economic benefits for Newport and Rhode Island. Competition for museum visitation is fierce, and we are well positioned for the future as one of New England's most visited museums. The proposed welcome center is critical to helping us maintain that position.

Historic sites and history museums usually spend more time looking back than looking forward, but the Preservation Society prides itself on doing both. While using the best preservation and museum practices to protect, preserve and present our legacy landscapes, buildings, furnishings and the stories of the people who created them, we also spend a lot of time planning for the future, to ensure that we will have the resources we need to continue fulfilling that mission.

In this issue of the Newport Gazette you'll read more about the progress of our comprehensive campaign, An American Story, and its key initiatives. We are especially proud of the progress we've made in building an endowed Fund for Fellows; while we still have some additional fundraising to do to get to the full goal, we are grateful to the van Beuren Charitable Foundation and other private donors, along with the National Endowment for the Humanities, for making it possible for us to hire four new Fellows this summer.

We will keep you updated on the progress of the comprehensive campaign, and of the welcome center, as the year unfolds. For now, we thank you for your continued support of all of the Preservation Society's endeavors.

4 winter 2014

The Cutting Edge

5

winter 2014 5

Scholars Program Receives $625,000 Grant from van Beuren Charitable Foundation by Andrea Carneiro, Communications Manager

The van Beuren Charitable Foundation, a Rhode Island-based grant making organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the unique characteristics of Newport County, has awarded the Preservation Society a $625,000 grant toward one of its key Comprehensive Campaign initiatives -- the creation of an endowed Fund for Fellows to support original research and scholarship in history, design and preservation.

Combined with a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and gifts from private donors, including a prior gift from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the grant brings the Preservation Society over the halfway mark of its $3.3 million goal for the Fund for Fellows.

"We are tremendously grateful to the van Beuren Charitable Foundation for its generous support of this vital academic project," said Preservation Society CEO & Executive Director Trudy Coxe. "We now have funding to support three fully-endowed Fellows, plus partial funding for a fourth position. Our ultimate goal is to endow five Fellows, who will live and work in a Scholars Center that will be created by restoring the Carriage House at The Elms. We know this generous gift will help to inspire additional donors to support both the endowment and the restoration work."

"Investments like this one are the lifeblood of the Preservation Society," added Coxe. "Without the support of our donors, we could not accomplish our mission of

maintaining these houses and their collections and advancing our knowledge of the period of history they represent. The research that these Fellows will conduct will contribute to the body of academic knowledge about Newport's role in America's history. It will also add to the vibrancy of the tours and programs we offer, helping to sustain the economic vitality of the Preservation Society, and ultimately of Newport as a visitor destination."

The Preservation Society and the community have benefited significantly from the work of recent Fellows, who have provided new information about the 18th century craftsmen who worked in Newport's Point neighborhood; researched the interiors and collections at Hunter House; and collaborated with other local and statewide organizations on historic preservation policy issues.

The goals of the Fellows program are to foster and facilitate the scholarly study of Newport’s cultural heritage; expand historical discourse to encompass Newport’s relevance within the broader context of the humanities; generate studies and publications that place Newport within national and international contexts; elevate Newport’s profile as a vibrant center for the exchange of ideas; serve the museum and historic preservation community by providing much needed research, publication, and training opportu-nities for emerging scholars; and promote cross-institutional collaboration among Newport’s cultural heritage organizations and beyond, increasing the visibility of their treasured collections both nationally and internationally.

6

6 winter 2014

Vanderbilt Busts Acquired for The Breakers

The bust of Cornelius Vanderbilt II is in the Great Hall near the library. Photo by corbettphotography.net

by Andrea Carneiro, Communications Manager

Marble portrait busts of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) and his grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843-1899), which have been on display at The Breakers since 1927, have been acquired by The Preservation Society of Newport County and are now assured of remaining there permanently, thanks to the generosity of several donors.

When the Preservation Society purchased The Breakers and its furnishings from the Vanderbilt family in 1972, the family retained owner-ship of a small portion of its artwork, including the two busts. Both remained on loan to the Preservation Society, one on display in the billiard room and the other in the Great Hall. Most recently, ownership of the two busts had descended through the family to Count Peter Eltz, the great-great-great grandson of the Commodore.

When another museum recently expressed interest in acquiring the sculptures, the Preservation Society opened negotiations with Count Eltz, and

sought out donors to help with the cost so that they would not be lost. Thanks to the generosity of

Mr. and Mrs. William Kahane, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Schorsch, and Mr.

and Mrs. Eugene B. Roberts, Jr., the busts are now permanently on display at The Breakers.

"We can't thank the Kahane, Schorsch and Roberts families enough for this

generous gift," said Preservation Society Chairman Donald O.

Ross. "These marble busts have been on our priority list for acquisition

because of their direct connection to the Vanderbilt family and the significance of the artists who created them. We are gratified to know that they will remain here where they belong and where visitors can continue to appreciate them."

7

winter 2014 7

The 2014 costume exhibition at Rosecliff will feature several pieces drawn from the

Preservation Society’s collection of dressing gowns and intimate at home

apparel. Themes of private life will resonate throughout the exhibit, and will be reinforced with related

pieces from our collection of fine and decorative

arts to create vignettes of such "at home" pursuits as planning menus, the toilette

and dressing, breakfast in bed, and ladies' pastimes such as embroidery, scrapbook-

ing and decoupage. One vignette will feature a Japanese kimono (early 20th century), shown with a chinoiserie-style, Newport-made Vernon card table, a mah jong set, and a painting of a Japanese water garden by Louis Jules Du Moulin (1860–1924) from the collection at Kingscote. Another vignette called "Toilette" will show an important 1860s ormolu-mounted, jewel-encrusted kingwood dressing case in the form of a Renaissance casket by Giroux et Cie of Paris (pictured here), together with an 1890s dressing gown and a ball gown from the same period.

The exhibit briefly explores Newport’s Aquidneck Cottage Industries by featuring a locally made dressing gown. Aquidneck Cottage Industries was a charity that created employment opportunities for Newport women, teaching them domestic skills and arts and crafts. The school was supported by several members of the Newport summer colony including the Misses Edith and Maud Wetmore, who hosted a bazaar at Chateau-sur-Mer in 1911 to raise funds for the school.

The costume exhibit will be on display at Rosecliff from March 15 through November 21.

Life at Home,1890 – 1950by Charles J. Burns, Associate Curator

Donors Eugene B. Roberts, Jr., Nicholas & Shelley Schorsch, Elizabeth & William Kahane, with Preservation Society Chairman Donald O. Ross, pose with the bust of Commodore Vanderbilt in the billiard room. Photo by Andrea Carneiro

The bust of Cornelius Vanderbilt II is in the Great Hall near the library. Photo by corbettphotography.net

We are grateful to Peter Eltz for making the busts available to us” added Ross, “and for returning part of the purchase price back to the Preservation Society in the form of a donation to pay for needed maintenance work and painting of the Children’s Cottage at The Breakers.

During a European trip aboard his yacht, NorthStar, in 1853, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt commissioned the bust of himself from American sculptor Hiram Powers (1805-1873), who was working in Florence. The white marble sculpture, portraying the Commodore with a toga draped around his shoulders, was originally displayed in his New York house, and eventually in the home of his eldest grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, at 1 West 57th Street.

The bust was moved to The Breakers by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1926-1927, when the New York house was sold. The second bust, of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, attributed to American sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward (1830-1910) was also moved to The Breakers at that time.

8

8 winter 2014

Please Join The Conservators Circle

The Conservators Circle was established to recognize and thank members and friends, like Miles and Lisa Bidwell and Jae French, who have kindly provided for The Preservation Society of Newport County in their estate plans. All we ask is that you inform us that a future gift provision has been made. You may join The Conservators Circle, if you have arranged for one or more of the following planned gifts to benefit the Preservation Society:

• Bequest or Will • Charitable Gift Annuity

• Charitable Trust • Life Insurance

Making A Charitable Bequest Is Easy

A charitable bequest can be made in many different ways, not just in your will. You can take care of loved ones, and then provide for your favorite causes. You can keep control of your assets, with no minimum dollar amount. Very real tax and asset management advantages may come with a planned gift; just ask your financial advisor. Your thoughtful generosity can be recognized forever or remain anonymous. You can even make a bequest today and receive a lifetime of annuity payments.

The Benefits of Planned Gifts Continue Well Beyond a Donor’s Lifetime

Learn how you can give for the future today. Please contact Mary B. Kozik at mkozik@NewportMansions.orgor 401-847-1000, ext. 167.

"Learning that my late wife, Lisa, had an incurable disease prompted us to think about our wills. It was now clear to us that no one could ever know when life would end. We agreed that we wanted our money to go where it would provide lasting benefit to places and organizations that we cherished. Planned giving in general and the Conservators Circle in particular provided a way for us to know that whatever happened to us, what funds we had would be used as we wished them to be used."

– Miles Bidwell, Member, Conservators Circle at left with his late wife, Lisa

“With great appreciation, I give thanks and my support to the Preservation Society, for making Newport a living museum and for being the caretakers and preservationists of this important part of our country’s history. As a member of the Conservators Circle, I would like to invite you to please join me and make a charitable bequest – it is an excellent and lasting way to help these magnificent museum properties endure well into the future.”

– Jae French, Member, Conservators Circle seated, with Eric Archer, Mary Kozik and James Burress

Your Gift. Your Way.

9

by Mary Kozik, Chief of Institutional Advancement

Steve and Liz Casper

Steve and Liz Casper may not be from Newport, but they are no strangers to historic preservation and philanthropy. Steve, who visited Newport as a child, has been coming with his wife since 1982. They make an annual December trip to enjoy the uniqueness and beauty of our historic houses and properties and often attend the holiday dance at The Breakers.

Speaking for them both, Steve recently wrote, “We had a wonderful time touring five of these amazing properties during our most recent trip to Newport. The Breakers is jaw-dropping, Marble House, The Elms and Rosecliff aren't far behind in

gilded opulence, Kingscote is a great example of Victorian style living. It's hard to believe these were 'summer cottages' for the wealthy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We did the audio tours that allow you to 'dig deeper' with additional information and you can move at your own pace.The Preservation Society of Newport County has done a remarkable job and, in my opinion, the best place to get tickets and information would be at a new welcome center at The Breakers.”

While at The Breakers, one of their favorites, they commented that they couldn’t help noticing the meticulous

attention to detail the Preservation Society pays to upkeep and presentation.

Liz and Steve are from the Philadelphia area, and value the opportunity to visit our 11 historic houses–seven of which are National Historic Landmarks. To show their appreciation, after a lunch with CEO Trudy Coxe they stepped up to help safeguard these magnificent properties for future generations. The Caspers' extraordinary gift of $100,000 will support the building of the proposed welcome center at The Breakers.

winter 2014 9

Profiles in Preservation

10

10 winter 2014

During our two days at Chatsworth, we barely scratched the surface of an immensely complex place, which reminded me in many ways of The Breakers (1895). The scale of the operation was immense; visitors lined up to get in before the gates were opened. The site has many layers of significance, but it all comes down to a story about a family and their house. I drew many connections between Chatsworth and my own work–the presentation of rooms with complicated histories, delivering content in new and exciting ways, and managing throngs of visitors while trying to maintain and preserve a historic building.

From the beginning of the trip, the different ways visitors were discouraged from touching historic objects intrigued and delighted me; this is especially true at Knole. Most of my pictures from the day are of “do not touch” signs. But rather than simply commands, the signs actually educated visitors about why they shouldn’t touch particular objects.Recently, the Preservation Society has begun a similar initiative at The Breakers.

Attingham confirmed for me that the challenges faced by historic houses are universal. Staff time. Visitor (dis)engagement. Storage. Climate control. Money. These were the topics that came up over and over – and not just on our site visits, but also during conversations with my fel-low attendees. As a young professional trying to find her place in the museum world, Attingham came at a critical moment for me. The conversations I had with my classmates over the course of two and a half weeks helped me think more about my future in the field. I am happy to report that I returned home with a fresh perspective on historic houses and new ideas for interpreting the Preservation Society’s houses to our visitors.

In July of 2013, I had the pleasure of attending the 62nd annual Attingham Summer School, as a Royal Oak Foundation scholar. Dedicated to the study of the British country house, the summer school takes place over 18 days and allows participants to examine the social and architec-tural history of buildings, their rich collections and remarkable interiors, and to discuss problems related to their conservation and presentation. I was eager to see how the National Trust, English Heritage, and other stewards tackle the interpretation, display, and preservation of these grand estates.

The tour of Uppark remains one of my favorites because of the story of staff, volunteers, and a community coming together in the wake of a disaster. In August of 1989, a catastrophic fire ripped through the upper floors, which collapsed. Luckily, much of the paneling and decoration survived. It was salvaged and used in the restoration, which took six years to complete. I was struck by the painstaking work to reincorporate as much original fabric as possible, and the way vestiges of the damage remained on view. For example, one of the doorways leading into the red drawing room was left in a half-restored state. One half was repainted and gilded with the original treatment; the other side was left bare, showing the original material, darkened and damaged by fire, with missing fragments recreated. The approach reminded me of the Isaac Bell House; acquired by the Preservation Society in 1994, the house was restored to its circa 1883 appearance using original fragments of wallpaper and paint that were uncovered by the conservation staff. Today, tours of the unfurnished house focus on preservation and the archaeological approach taken by the conservators. For this reason, some surfaces were left in an unrestored state – so that visitors can see the original elements that supported the restoration process.

By Caitlin Emery, Research and Interpretation Coordinator

Studyingthe British CountryHouse

Cait Emery (second from left) and classmates at Hardwick

11

winter 2014 11

Alice D. RossAngela Brown Fischer Mary Van Pelt

Preservation Society Trustees Angela Brown Fischer, Alice D. Ross and Mary Van Pelt, co-chairs of the 2014 Annual Fund Campaign, are working tirelessly to help us achieve the goals of $700,000 in donations and 900 donors before March 31, 2014. They invite you to please join them in supporting this year’s Annual Fund.

Annual Fund gifts help to underwrite the annual cost of maintaining our historic houses and landscapes and offering regular tours to the public. Your generous 2014 Annual Fund donation will help us protect, preserve and present our exceptional collection of buildings, landscapes and decorative arts, and the American Story that they represent.

An Annual Fund donation of any size makes a difference and is essential to our continued ability to maintain 11 historic properties, a total of 33 buildings and 88 acres of landscapes.

Thank you to all of you who have already made a gift.

For more information or to make a gift, please call 401-847-1000 ext. 142 or email AnnualFund@NewportMansions.org.You may also make a gift online at www.NewportMansions.org.

An Invitation to Support the Annual Fund

Annual Fund

12Glamour Girls

12 winter 2014

Join us to celebrate the centennial of Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Chinese Tea House at Marble House through an exploration of the complex and varied responses to the Far East – real and imagined – in the visual arts of Western Europe and the United States. Leading scholars will discuss the exchange of objects and the myriad interpretations of “Chinoiserie” through the lens of European and American architecture, furniture, painting, ceramics, textiles, gardens and collections from the 18th through the 20th centuries.

Newport has been a nationally significant repository for treasures from the Far East from its Golden Age in the 18th century to the Gilded Age. Boasting examples ranging from the rich collections of China trade objects at Hunter House (c. 1748), Kingscote (1841), and Chateau-sur-Mer (1852) to the incorporation of 18th-century Chinese lacquer panels into the decoration of The Elms (1901), the Preservation Society’s properties provide a uniquely focused lens through which participants will see the interplay of Eastern and Western design influences on American design and decorative arts.

Information & Registration: 401-847-1000, ext.154E-mail: Symposium@NewportMansions.orgwww.NewportMansions.org

Sponsored in part by

U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management

Christie’s

Featured Speakers Include:

Sir Hugh RobertsEmeritus Surveyor of the Queen's Works of ArtUnited Kingdom

Joan de Jean Trustee Professor of FrenchUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA

Carolyn SargentsonSenior Honorary Research FellowVictoria and Albert Museum, London

Lee Glazer Curator of American Art Freer-Sackler Galleries Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

Ronald Fuchs II Curator, Reeves CollectionWashington & Lee University, Lexington, VA

Judy BullingtonChair, Art DepartmentBelmont University, Nashville, TN

Maggie Lidz Estate HistorianWinterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE

George McNeely IV Vice President for Strategic & International AffairsWorld Monuments Fund, New York, NY

Laurie Brewer Assistant Curator of Costume & DesignRhode Island School of Design MuseumProvidence, RI

Noel Fahden-Briceño Category Manager, Vintage and AntiquesOne King's Lane

13

winter 2014 13

economic crisis of the Great Depression. This press attention provides a rich historical record of the fashion, decoration and social milieu of Newport in the years leading up to the Second World War.

The summer before her “official” New York début, the always beautifully turned out Alletta Morris was photographed almost daily coming and going from Newport’s Bailey’s Beach Club. Alletta was the first of the three Newport debutantes to “come out” in the summer of 1930, and New York’s snobbiest gossip columnist, “Audacious,” listed her as one of the season’s “prestige” debutantes--her photograph featured in large format and separated from the rest to emphasize her distinction. Alletta was honored that summer in Newport at parties given by Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Duncan at Bonniecrest on Harrison Avenue, by the Jelke family at Eagle’s Nest on Ocean Avenue, by Miss Julia Berwind at The Elms, and by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Goelet at Ochre Court. Alletta described the Ochre Court event in her scrapbook, next to the newspaper account clipped from The New York Times, as “one of the most beautiful parties I have ever been to.” The Times reported that the Goelet ball was the crowning social event of the summer of 1930. Especially beautiful, as noted by Alletta in her scrapbook, were “the unusual colored lighting effects especially the pale lavender light that gave the flowering and foliage plants a most unusual hue.” Alletta’s formal début was given at the Morris’s New York City residence at 1015 Park Avenue in December; it was a rather small and intimate affair, considering the press that she had received the previous summer in Newport.

Debutante parties became more and more glamorous through the 1930s. Three of the best-remembered Newport débuts were given during the 1934-35 season: an event in honor of Lesley Bogert at her parents’ summer cottage, Anglesea, on Ruggles Avenue; a party for Jane Pope at The Waves on Ledge Road; and a fête for Betty Brooke (Blake) hosted by Dr. & Mrs. Hamilton Rice at their summer cottage, Miramar, on Bellevue Avenue. Elizabeth Morris, Alletta’s sister, came out in 1933, making her formal curtsy at The Pierre in New York on November 18th. Aeriel Frazer Eweson made her début in Newport in the summer of 1936 at the Newport Country Club amidst a setting of silver and white. For that party the Country Club was transformed by tastemaker Schuyler Parsons into a garden illuminated by moonlight.

After World War II, interest shifted away from America’s society girls and their débuts to Hollywood starlets, and although debutante balls have regained some of their popularity, the debutantes have never regained the iconic status of the Newport “glamour girls” of the 1930s.

Associate Curator Charles J. Burns has researched a previously little-explored part of Newport’s history, the interwar years, and the life of Newport’s debutantes. Through the personal scrapbooks of Alletta Morris McBean, Elizabeth Morris Smith and Aeriel Frazer Eweson, details of summer life beyond the Gilded Age are revealed, particularly the growing social prominence of debuts and debutantes. Gracing headlines around the world, many of Newport’s debutantes had the same star power as leading actresses of today.

The 1920s ushered in the age of the debutante, and nowhere was this glamorous rite of social passage more prevalent than in Newport and New York. Debutante parties had been popular since the 18th century, as a way to introduce marriageable young ladies into society, but during the 1920s & 1930s American debutantes began to take on an unprecedented celebrity status never realized before or since. As young women from distinguished families reached the age of 18 they became popular fodder for paparazzi, and their images became synonymous with American beauty and refinement during the often gloomy reports of the

By Charles J. Burns, Associate Curator

Newport’s Debutantes During the Interwar Years

Glamour Girls

14

14 winter 2014

Thank you!We are indebted to the individuals and organizations

listed here for the generous contributions and commitments they have made in support of our An American Story campaign initiatives.

Much of our progress is due to the incredible support and hard work of the members of our Campaign Steering Committee, led by Co-Chairs Dayton T. Carr, David B. Ford and Pierre duPont Irving, who have played an important role by generously leading the way, hosting events and engaging potential supporters.

To inquire about how you can help support our campaignefforts – as a donor or volunteer – please contact Mary Kozik, Chief of Institutional Advancement, at 401/847-1000, Ext. 167 or mkozik@newportmansions.org.

by Mary B. Kozik, CFRE, Chief of Institutional Advancement

Making Progress

Through January 30, 2014, we have raised $18.8 million overall, and $11.7 million of this is in support of the Campaign's four key initiatives.They include:

1) Enhancing the visitor experience by opening a new Welcome Center,

2) Better understanding the history of our properties and the stories they tell through the creation of a Scholars Center in The Elms Carriage House and an endowed Fund for Fellows,

3) Ensuring our future by building a stronger Endowment, and

4) Maintaining and expanding our historical treasures through increased investments in Conservation and Collections.

An American Story: The Campaign for The Preservation Society of Newport County

Sustaining and preserving the extraordinary properties and collections in the Preservation Society’s care is a privilege, but it’s also a tremendous challenge. Our An American Storycampaign was designed to help us confront these challenges, and we are proud to report that we are making great strides in reaching our $21.1 million campaign fundraising goal.

15

winter 2014 15

Mrs. Russell B. Aitken

Mr. and Mrs. Armin B. Allen

Amica Companies Foundation

Art Seminar Group

BankNewport

Dr. Holly M. Bannister andMr. Douglas L. Newhouse

Ms. Jacalyn E.S. Bennett

Mr. James D. Berwind

Berwind Fund

Mr. Miles O. Bidwell

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Bilden

Mr. and Mrs. Richard N. Bohan

Estate of Frederick J. Bonner

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Brooks, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard I. Burnham

Estate of Elizabeth A. Burton

Mr. James C. Buttrick

Mr. Dayton T. Carr

Steven J. and Marilyn E. Casper

Mr. and Mrs. Duncan A. Chapman

Citi Foundation Matching Gifts

Mrs. Nancy W. Cushing

Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Damon

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn M. Darden

Dr. and Mrs. Bruce C. Dieffenbach

Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust

The William H. Donner Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. William P. Egan II

Ambassador and Mrs. Edward Elliott Elson

Mr. Peter Eltz

Estate of Arthur W. Fagan

Felicia Fund, Inc.

Dr. and Mrs. Edwin G. Fischer / Hope Foundation

Mr. David B. Ford

Mrs. George Edward Ford

Henrietta Fore and Marta Babson

Jae and John H. French II

Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Galkin

Anne W. Garnett

Dr. Lawrence Geuss and Ms. Pamela Lenehan

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard S. Gewirz

Mr. Steven Gittelman

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Glant

Mr. and Mrs. Peter W. Gonzalez

Mr. Jay C. Grutman

The Honorable Esmond V. Harmsworth

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Harper III

The John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc.

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Mr. and Mrs. Pierre duPont Irving

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Isham

Mr. and Mrs. William M. Kahane

The Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Family Foundation

Mrs. Belinda T. Kielland

Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Kiernan III

Mary B. Kozik

Mr. and Mrs. William L. Leatherman

The Loebs Family Foundation

Mrs. Edmund Calvert Lynch, Jr.

The Honorable and Mrs. Ronald K. Machtley

Mr. Peter E. Madden

Pauline C. Metcalf

Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Moore

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Muggeridge

National Endowment for the Humanities

The Nautilus Foundation

Mr. Andrew Ott

James Parker Charitable Trust

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher T. H. Pell

Estate of Victor L. Persbacker

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Purdy

Prince Charitable Trusts

Mrs. Virginia R. Richard

The Estate of Mr. Lloyd M. Rives

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene B. Roberts, Jr.

Ms. Janet L. Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Donald O. Ross

James H. and Alice D. Ross

Mr. Nicholas B. Scheetz

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas S. Schorsch

Mr. and Mrs. Ken F. Scigulinsky

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Scott and Family

Ms. Mary A. Shepard

Mr. and Mrs. A. Theodore Stautberg, Jr.

Estate of Brown Taylor

Ms. Topsy Taylor

Ms. Andrea van Beuren and Mr. Roger E. Kass

Mr. and Mrs. Archbold D. van Beuren

Ms. Barbara van Beuren andMr. Stephen L. Glascock

Mr.* and Mrs. John A. van Beuren

van Beuren Charitable Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Guy F. C. Van Pelt

The Vanguard Group Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. William N. Wood Prince

Anonymous (2)

* deceased

Investing in the future…

Thank YouWe are grateful to the following individuals and organizations for their generous support of our four key Campaign initiatives.

16

16 winter 2014

Visit www.NewportMansions.org for details, ticket information, and additional events, or call (401) 847-1000.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24 - FRIDAY, MARCH 14

The Breakers, The Elms & Marble House open daily

THURSDAY, MARCH 6Lecture: Katherine Warren: Newport's Leading 20th-Century Preservation Advocate

SATURDAY, MARCH 15 - FRIDAY, MAY 9

The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House & Rosecliff open daily

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19Lecture: Great Women of Newport

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9Lunch & Lecture: The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 ObjectsLecture: The Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem

SATURDAY, APRIL 19Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch

SUNDAY, APRIL 27 - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30

The Newport Symposium

SATURDAY, MAY 3Chinese Tea House opens for lunch and snacks

SATURDAY, MAY 10 Green Animals Plant Sale

SATURDAY, MAY 10 - FRIDAY, JUNE 27

The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, Green Animals Topiary Garden & Kingscote open daily

SUNDAY, MAY 11Mother's Day Brunch

SATURDAY, MAY 24The Elms Carriage House opens for lunch and snacks

THURSDAY, JUNE 19Annual Meeting

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 - SUNDAY, JUNE 29

The Newport Flower Show

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 - MONDAY, OCTOBER 13

The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House & Chepstow open daily

MONDAY, JULY 14Green Animals Children's Party

THURSDAY, JULY 17Angela Moore Fashion Show & Champagne Brunch

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30Architects' Circles Dinner

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1 - SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

Newport Mansions Stores Warehouse Sale

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5An Evening in Honor of John G. Winslow

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9Summer Dinner Dance

MONDAY, AUGUST 18Annual Golf Outing

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21Annual Members' Party

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Newport Mansions Stores Members' Sale

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19-SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21

The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House & Rosecliff open daily

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23

Newport Mansions Stores Members' Sale

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 - SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

Christmas at the Newport MansionsThe Breakers, The Elms & Marble House open daily

SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 29, DECEMBER 6, 13 & 27

Holiday Evenings at The Breakers

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6

Newport Mansions Stores Warehouse Sale

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20Holiday Evening Duet at The Elms & Marble House

Holiday Dinner Dance

2014 Calendar of Events & Operating Schedule

Schedule is subject to change.

17

winter 2014 17

Dan Fryer Wins Industry Award

New Collections Manager Named

Preservation Policy Position Created

The Preservation Society's Group Tour Manager, Dan Fryer, was recently honored with a Tourism Employee of the Year Award from the RI Hospitality Association. Dan joined the PSNC in 1999, and is responsible for the recruitment, arrival and guest experience of more than 130,000 group tour visitors to the Newport Mansions every year. Under his guidance, group tour activity has grown to 3,000 motor coach arrivals annually, and for the third consecutive year, annual group tour revenues surpassed one million dollars.

Dan is a native of North Branford, CT and received his BS in Hotel Management from Iowa State University. He was Group Tour Manager at Coastal Fairfield County CVB before joining the Preservation Society.

Elizabeth Warburton has been appointed as the Preservation Society's new Collections Manager. She received her B.A. in History and Anthropology from Rhode Island College and an M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont. Prior to joining the Museum Affairs Department in January 2012, Liz gained a range of relevant skills and experience in positions at the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, Preserve Rhode Island, Rhode Island College Archives & Special Collections, Rhode Island State Library and teaching in the UVM Dept. of History, in addition to serving as a collections manager for private clients.

Since assuming the role of Acting Collections Manager in August 2013, she has overseen the implementation of the MuseumPlus database, managed complicated object moves, written grants and reports, accessioned and deaccessioned objects, represented the department at several workshops and professional conferences, and couriered two Old Master paintings from Houghton Hall in England safely back to Newport. She has an avid interest in antique cars and delivered a well-received lecture last summer on the history of transportation in Newport.

Dan Fryer (center) with Museum Experience Director John Rodman and CEO Trudy Coxe. Photo by Andrea Carneiro

Kaity Ryan began work in the fall as the Preservation Society's first Manager of Preservation Policy. She will work with municipal, state and national preservation entities, and lead the organization in taking a more active role as a preservation advocate. Her work will be informed by national models such as the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, as well as regional organizations such as Historic New England.

After receiving her master's degree in historic preservation from Columbia University, Kaity served as the Preservation Society's first Public Policy Fellow. "Kaity's work will strengthen the Preservation Society's presence as a key leader and voice for the preservation of architecture, decorative arts, landscapes and open space," said CEO & Executive Director Trudy Coxe.

2014 Calendar of Events & Operating Schedule

18

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

Armin B. Allen, Co-ChairEarl A. Powell III, Co-ChairJohn Winthrop AldrichPrincess Minnie de Beauvau-CraonTheresa Elmore BehrendtJames D. BerwindBonnie BurnhamDr. Johan CederlundMaureen K. ChiltonAlec CobbeClaudio Del VecchioDebra Del VecchioNancy DubucPeter EltzBaron Roland de l'EspéeHenrietta Holsman ForeMorrison H. HeckscherRobin Herbert, CBECount Denis de KergorlayBrooks LobkowiczRobert B. MacKayPauline C. MetcalfRichard MoeMary S. PhippsLouis G. PianconeAnne L. PouletDame Fiona Reynolds, DBESir Hugh Roberts, GCVOCharles M. RoyceDeborah G. RoyceTracie RozhonEl Marqués de Santa CruzHenrietta Spencer-Churchill, BIID, FIIDAVladimir I. TolstoyDiane B. WilseyRichard Guy Wilson

OFFICERSChairman

Donald O. RossVice Chair

Angela Brown FischerVice Presidents

Carol C. BallardDavid P. LeysMary Van PeltWilliam N. Wood Prince

TreasurerMonty Burnham

Assistant TreasurerPeter S. Damon

SecretaryArthur W. Murphy, Esq.

Assistant TreasurerWilliam N. Wood Prince

TRUSTEESMortimer Berkowitz IIIDuncan A. ChapmanNancy W. CushingKim DardenWilliam P. Egan IIDavid B. FordSarah M. GewirzAla IshamElizabeth W. LeathermanDavid E.P. LindhWilliam F. LuceyRonald K. MachtleyAngela L. MooreAndrew K. ReillyEugene B. Roberts, Jr.Janet L. RobinsonAlice D. RossMerrill W. ShermanArchbold D. van BeurenMark E. Watson IIIWilliam F. Wilson

OVERSEERSMarion O. CharlesJerome R. KirbyRichard N. Sayer, Esq.John J. Slocum, Jr.George H. Warren

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Trudy Coxe

PRESERVATION SOCIETY

PROPERTIES

Arnold Burying Ground (1675)Hunter House (circa 1748)Kingscote (1839-1841)Chateau-sur-Mer (1851-1852)Green Animals Topiary Garden (circa 1860)Chepstow (1860-1861)Isaac Bell House (1881-1883)Osgood-Pell House (1887-1888)Marble House (1888-1892)The Breakers (1893-1895)The Breakers Stable & Carriage House (1895)The Elms (1899-1901)Rosecliff (1899-1902)Rovensky Park (1959)

18 winter 2014wwwfacebook.com/NewportMansions

Become a Facebook friend of The Preservation Society of Newport County

The Newport Gazette A Publication of The Preservation Society of Newport County

Editor: Andrea CarneiroDesign: Roskelly.comPrinting: Meridian Printing

©2014 The Preservation Society of Newport County424 Bellevue AvenueNewport RI 02840(401) 847-1000

See the Newport Gazette in full color online atwww.NewportMansions.org

Thank you to our Donorsfor their charitable contributions to the Preservation Society’s mission

Cake, Anyone?Collections specialist Anna Thompson

was inventorying a closet at Kingscote filled with memorabilia from the 1901 wedding of Maude Gwendolen King to Edward Maitland Armstrong, when she came across a ribbon-wrapped box. The box was monogrammed "EMA" and "MGK." On opening the box, she discovered a piece of cake, along with a piece of paper which reads "Wedding Cake/EMA + MGK/Sept 12 1901/To be kept."

19

NewportStyle.net is the online home of the Newport Mansions Stores.

With a wide selection of decorating and home accessories, NewportStyle.net

features quality products that you can't find just anywhere. Preservation

Society members save 10% every day shopping at NewportStyle.net.

Try it today!

20

The Preservation Society of Newport County424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840Tel 401–847–1000 Fax 401–847–1361

Non–Profit OrgU.S. Postage

P A I DThe Preservation

Society of Newport County

The Newport Flower Show

New England’s Premier Flower Show

Rosecliff, Newport, RI June 27, 28 & 29, 2014June 27, 28 & 29, 2014June 27, 28 & 29, 2014

JourneyGrandVistas