Saturday 15 January 2011

Embossed bronze panelling


I live in Paddington and my daughter lives in Double Bay. It is not very far to walk and takes me about 35 minutes, to go down the gully my side and up the gully her side. The bottom of the gully is Trumper Park. Opposite the park is this exquisite Federation style house.


The squatness of the house is appealing, as is the fretwork. But what is the panel above the main door? It looks to be of embossed bronze. That could be a lotus seed, or it could be an ear of corn. I am tempted to think it is some sort of 'harvest' diorama - but we are in the middle of a city. My guess is the house was constructed between 1890 and 1910.

19 comments:

Luis Gomez said...

It is a great looking place.

Kay L. Davies said...

It's a beautiful house. I love Australian colonial architecture, although this would probably be Australian Victorian. Beautiful, any way you look at it. The embossed paneling is a special touch.
-- K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Anonymous said...

Architects knew all about proportions back then, this fine house being a good example. Pity they lost the knowledge.

Rinkly Rimes said...

I love old-style houses..... to look at! But all mod cons appeals to me more as a living space. However, my son adores the old buildings and, when buying houses, he never looks at anything new. He now has a 1920s house on The Hill in Newcastle, and it's delightfully quirky. It actually has the old style meat-safes in the pantry!

Julie said...

Hah! I lived on The Hill while at teaching at Waratah West in 70 - 71.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Yes that is a lovely home. Giving me some ideas of how I should approach my house names project also inspired by you. Haven't got out to do anything on it. Maybe tomorrow as I am out at Whistlers Rest today.

Julie said...

I have been waiting for it to appear, but know that it will when the time is ripe.

RedPat said...

Incredible home - lovely fretwork. Love it!

Jim said...

It's great. Federation style houses are my favourites, by far.

Ann said...

That's my kind of house.

Around Alice with Mike said...

I know that this is off topic but I went to Waratah High! Some of the Victorian-Federation houses out in old area of Tighes Hill are very similar to this.

Julie said...

Really!

Blimey it is a small world. Let me guess though, considerably more recently than 1971! Yes Tighes Hill does. I was up there just a few weeks ago. A brother lives at Jewells next to Redhead.

Jack said...

That is a special house. It looks well-preserved. The current owners are to be commended; keeping a house like this in good shape costs a shocking amount.

Windsmoke. said...

You can't beat the Federation style house unlike today's dog boxes that are thrown up in a matter of weeks and have no style.

Jilly said...

What an enchanting house. I love the Art Nouveau plaque.

Peter said...

Prosperous times then ... and they knew how to build, great deep verandahs.

Peter said...

Found your site through a link at Highriser [Andrew]. Love your photos of nature and architecture of Sydney.

Unknown said...

Beautiful Art Nouveau!

Around Alice with Mike said...

Yes alas, I finished up at Waratah in 1997.