INTERIORS OF THE MARSHALL FIELD RESIDENCE AT LLOYDS NECK, HUNTINGTON, L. I.

INTERIORS OF THE MARSHALL FIELD RESIDENCE AT LLOYDS NECK,  HUNTINGTON, L. I.

JOHN RUSSELL POPE
Architect

Photographs by Drix Duryex
and S. H. Gottscho ***Country Life in America 1927  - supplemented with photos from The Library of Congress, - LOC/National Register of Historic Places, - NRHP1975***

VESTIBULE

  As one steps within the tall entrance doors of the Marshall Field residence one enters the circular vestibule, a section of which is shown at the left***ABOVE***. Beyond is the large rectangular entrance hall and at the other side of the house are the glass doors giving on to the loggia. BELOW. The great stair hall, another picture of which is shown.

***View into entrance hall - Caumsett Manor, Lloyd Neck, Lloyd Harbor, Suffolk County, NY - LOC***

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Stair hall - LOC***

***FIRST FLOOR, STAIR HALL - Caumsett Manor, Lloyd Neck, Lloyd Harbor, Suffolk County, NY - LOC***

THE GREAT STAIR HALL

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Library through living room door -LOC***

VIEW INTO LIBRARY

 On these two pages are three views of the library. In the picture on the facing page***ABOVE*** one looks toward the east end of the library along the south wall. 

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Library side wall - LOC***

LIBRARY

 ABOVE is another view of the east wall. The library is paneled throughout with old woodwork beautifully fitted to the proportions of this room. The furniture, here and elsewhere throughout the house, is antique, in keeping with the Georgian architecture, most of the pieces being of rare beauty and excellence. BELOW one sees the northwest corner of the library and the fireplace grouping. The portrait shown in this picture and the one in the picture above are worthy of comment. They are not twins—they are the same. The portrait was moved between the taking of the pictures.

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Library fireplace, note the portrait - LOC***

NORTHWEST CORNER OF LIBRARY

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York.  Library with desk - LOC***

SOUTHEAST CORNER OF DINING ROOM

  The southeast corner of the dining room presents the lovely grouping shown ABOVE. The sideboard is a magnificent specimen made of mahogany. The urns at either end are fashioned of wood laid in strips, not turned on a lathe as one might think. The mantelpiece in this room is an antique wood carving and the lighting fixtures are a dull gold, against cream-colored walls. One beautiful feature of this house which might be mentioned here is the design of the big mahogany doors. A part of one of them shows at the right ABOVE. These doors are wider than ordinary doors and they are admirably proportioned. The texture of the wood shows to great advantage. At the left BELOW one sees the northwest corner of the gun room. The paneling here is antique with a few modern additions so cleverly fashioned that one cannot tell the new from the old.

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Gun room, toward window - LOC***

NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE GUN ROOM

 The leather covered chairs bespeak the mans room. The window curtains are noteworthy. At the right BELOW is the northwest corner of the breakfast room. The woodwork in this room is antique and is finished a buff color.

SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BREAKFAST ROOM

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. North windows and wall, dining room - LOC***

NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE DINING ROOM

 ABOVE is the northwest corner of the dining room. This room is very lofty and beautifully proportioned. Notice how the windowpanes have been increased in size to harmonize with the dimensions of the room. Particularly noteworthy, too, are the graceful curves of the window hangings and the delicate designs in the backs of the antique chairs. The pictures on the walls in this room, and most of the others, are by noted artists of the years past. At the left BELOW is shown the northeast corner of the card room. The paper here is an antique of Chinoiserie design beautifully suited to this early Georgian home. The color scheme is green and white; the upholstery of the chairs is in harmony. Notice, too, the antique mirror, topped by a gilt eagle. At the right BELOW is the southwest corner of the gunroom, the opposite view to that shown on the preceding page***ABOVE***. Within the glass doors is a fine collection of shotguns and high-powered rifles. Both Mr. and Mrs. Field are devoted to hunting. Against the left wall is one of those amusing chairs on which one sits the reverse way.

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Card room - LOC***

NORTHEAST CORNER OF CARD ROOM

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Vista, card room to hall - LOC***

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Detail, card room LOC***

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Gun room, toward gun case - LOC***

SOUTHWEST CORNER OF GUNROOM

NORTHWEST CORNER OF MRS. FIELD'S ROOM

 Mrs. Field's room is simply finished in boards laid lengthwise and painted a rich cream color. The cracks between the boards show through to heighten the effect of charming simplicity. The doors have been treated in a distinctive fashion, the moldings around the panels having been touched with gilt and rubbed down until there is just enough trace of gilt left to add interest to the room and to give it an antique effect. ABOVE is the northwest corner of Mrs. Field's room, BELOW is the southeast corner. At the left BELOW is a delightful guest room, marked bedroom No. 9 on the floor plan on page 56***BELOW***. It is finished in old pine paneling, dark and interesting. The color scheme is dark red, and the effect given is of cloistral seclusion. This room is in the southwest corner of the east wing of the house proper.

SOUTHEAST CORNER

GUEST ROOM 9

MR. FIELD'S ROOM, SOUTHWEST CORNER

 Mr. Field's room is shown ABOVE and at the left BELOW. The walls are the same material as in Mrs. Field's roomy plain painted boards. Above is the southwest corner, below, the northeast. The arched opening leads to the bathroom. The bedstead is covered with red quilted silk, and the walls are hung with delightful sporting prints. At the right BELOW is an interesting view of bedroom No. 4. The fireplace here is set in the northwest corner of the room. The four-poster bed is hung with dark red damask. Most of the rooms in this house were decorated by the architectural firm which designed the house, and great credit should reflect to Mr. Pope and his associates who worked so carefully and so thoroughly to produce a finished whole which is without its superior on the American continent.

MR. FIELD'S ROOM, NORTHEAST

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. High bed fourposter, bedroom - LOC*** 

BEDROOM No. 4

BEDROOM No. 3

BEDROOM No. 2

 On this page are shown detailed views of four of the guest rooms. Bedroom No. 3 in the UPPER lefthand corner has a very interesting paper of light red and gold and white. At the right ABOVE is bedroom No. 2, and at the right BELOW is bedroom No. 6. The owners' sitting room is shown at the left BELOW. The delightful part about the Marshall Field residence is that while the rooms on the first floor are large and rather stately, the rooms on the second floor are small. It would be a dreary thing to sleep in a room the size of the dining room in this house, but it is a delight to dine in a big room. Even Mr. and Mrs. Field's rooms are small and the guest rooms, of which there are nine, are charmingly intimate.

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Fireplace and side cupboard - LOC***

***Fireplace wall, guest room - NRHP***

BEDROOM No. 6

***Marshall Field, residence in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Boudoir fireplace - LOC***

OWNERS' SITTING ROOM

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

 The first floor plan is shown at left***ABOVE***. The second floor, BELOW. There is also a mezzanine floor in the servants' wing, and a cellar, but the plans of theses are not shown here. For practical purposes the top of the plans may be considered as the north side of the house.

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

                             ROOM OF THE MONTH

THE GREAT STAIR HALL

***The above photo was separated from the main article and captioned with the title - "Room of the Month"*** 

***Stair hall wall mural - NRHP***

 The great stair hall in the Marshall Field house carries on the tradition of the magnificent Georgian houses of England. The walls of the two story well in which the stairs are set were painted by Abram Poole. The finish is a very dark brown, and it is impossible to bring out the details in a photograph. At the top is an arcade with mural paintings of ladies and gentlemen of the eighteenth century looking out on the scene. Below is the effect of rusticated masonry. Mr. Poole has done a splendid piece of work and deserves great praise. THE END.


 Increasing taxes, maintenance costs, and staffing problems during WWII prompted a reduction to the house from its original monumental proportions in 1950. The west wing containing the living room and master bedrooms and the east wing which contained servants' quarters were demolished. The original dining room was converted to a kitchen. Subsidiary first floor rooms have been converted to living room, dining room and library—all much smaller than the rooms which originally served these purposes. The second floor has nine remaining bedrooms, plus servants'  bedrooms.  The third floor has a variety of storage and service rooms. These changes, designed by O'Connor & Delaney architects were designed to complement and blend with the building's original design.

West wing of the Mansion before the Field family removed it.

***The "new" Library - LOC***

 Note the reuse of the fireplace mantels from the original rooms.

***The "new" Dining Room - NRHP***

 Click HERE for an earlier post on the exterior, grounds and outbuildings from "Caumsett".  Take a virtual tour of the grounds by clicking HERE. A guided walking tour can be found HERE.