"Villa Gerdrup", the J. W. von Rehling Quistgaard Place, at Oyster Bay, Long Island

 

WHEN, a few years ago, J. W. von Rehling Quistgaard, the Danish portrait and miniature artist, set himself the task of creating an ideal home in the country, the first consideration was, of course, an ideal location. Born and brought up on the water’s edge, he desired a home as near the sea as possible. Since the house was to include a studio facing more or less to northward and at the same time commanding a sea view, his choice naturally fell upon the North Shore of Long Island. There, in the desirable Oyster Bay section, and thus within a convenient motor ride of New York, he found his home site—on the open Sound, with a growth of native oaks and evergreens and so situated that the house could be built with an exposure making for the maximum of indispensable sunshine.

"Villa Gerdrup", the J. W. von Rehling Quistgaard Place, at Oyster Bay, Long Island

E. Belcher Hyde, Inc. in 1927

With the viewpoint of a European hailing from a country of the North, and one accustomed to living in a house none the worse for being a few centuries old, Mr. Quistgaard’s next consideration was a “built to last” structure. For this was to be an all-the-year round home, warm in winter as well as cool in summer. This, of course, suggested fireproof construction of brick, hollow wall tile and reinforced concrete. As for the architecture, it may be said to be in a sense an original composition, since it grew from the imaginings of the owner. It suggests Italy and Spain in some of its lines, but there are marked Danish touches. Pink was decided upon as the color of the stucco, partly because Mr. Quistgaard desired to emulate in this country an artistic treatment with which he was familiar in Europe and partly for the practical reason that it was best to select a tone which would not be trying to the eye under the effect of strong sunshine and dazzling reflections from the water. Pink being the complementary color of the predominant blue of sea and sky, the result is admirable and the picture is a most fascinating one—alike when the surrounding foliage has the fresh green of springtime and when the oaks have put on their beautiful autumn coloring. The color, which is an integral part of the stucco, was arrived at only after long  experimentation on the part of Mr. Quistgaard, who mixed himself the Venetian red with coarse sand, white cement and lime. The especially designed terra cotta ornament was the object of similar study. Green is most prominent in this ornament, but there is a slight use of blue and gold. At first the blinds were green, but the color has been changed to blue and to distinct advantage. A striking feature of the house is the roof garden, which serves the double purpose of elevating the central structure above the wings and of providing a delightfully secluded retreat with a wonderful sea view on one side and a wooded view on the other.

THE DELICATE ROSE STUCCO, RELIEVED BY BLUE BLINDS, IS IN DELIGHTFUL CONTRAST TO BOTH SKY AND FOLIAGE

The house is approached from the highway by a long straight drive and directly one enters the door the straight view is continued to the Sound—indeed, to the opposite shore. The hall has an arched opening into the inner hall, of which the solarium, with its nine large one-pane windows, is a continuation. Three of these windows have the sea view and all look out upon a broad brick terrace whence a straight walk leads to the beach. At the left of the hall the studio is reached through the living room, while at the right is the dining room. The halls and solarium have tiled floors, and the staircase has brick steps. Brick is also effectively used in finishing the arched doorways of the halls and the coping. The living room and studio fireplaces are also of this material. As the bricks had to be cut and furthermore rubbed together to bring about the desired soft finish, the final effect was achieved only after many difficulties with bricklayers unaccustomed to such methods. Each of the bedrooms opens on a balcony and all have the sea view with the exception of the one planned for the owner’s children, which has a sunny southern exposure.

THE EXTERIOR ORNAMENT AND IRONWORK DESERVE THIS CLOSER VIEW

While Mr. Quistgaard himself drew the plans of the house to scale, he had the cooperation of the staff of Kirby & Petit, architects. In particular credit is due Vilhelm Kiorboe, the Danish architect, who designed the terra cotta ornament of the exterior and also the big fireplaces, al though the owner is responsible for the polychrome decorations of the latter and for the general scheme of interior decoration. A third Dane, Peer Smed, the artist, designed the fine wrought copper work on the front door, the outside grills and some of the other details.

ANOTHER ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FIREPLACE IS THE DOMINANT FEATURE OF THE EXTREMELY COSY LIVING ROOM

THE STUDIO, WITH CHESTNUT WAINSCOTTING AND WHITE PLASTER, HAS AN UNUSUAL BRICK AND POLYCHROME FIREPLACE

THE DINING ROOM, ENTIRELY IN WHITE AND WITH MAHOGANY FURNITURE, ALSO HAS A THREE-PART VIEW OF THE SOUND

LOOKING FROM THE INNER HALL THROUGH THE SOLARIUM THERE IS A WONDERFUL SEA VIEW IN TRIPTYCH EFFECT

ON THE WATER SIDE THE SOLARIUM OPENS ON A BRICK TERRACE, WHERE THERE IS A STRAIGHT WALK TO THE BEACH

The charm of Villa Gerdrup lies in the completed picture. It is the perfect realization of a discriminating artist’s dream, finely thought out down to the last architectural, decorative and landscape detail. Despite the fact that there is no hard and fast adherence to an established style, there is nowhere a discordant note to be found. And the more familiar one is with this place, the more insistent is its appealing charm. But of all it is, as it was expressly intended to be distinctly livable. It is, first of all, and most of all, a home in the finest and every sense of the word.

The surrounding landscape treatment is studied and yet has the appearance of being unstudied; only the long entrance drive and the straight walk from the terrace to the beach—lined with specimen privets, trimmed in ball shape—have any aspect of formality. There has been a certain amount of necessary grading and much planting of shrubbery, but the dominant tree note is as nature left it—with oaks in the majority. While the strip of land is quite narrow, all sense of narrowness is lost because the native trees blend with those on the two adjoining estates. On the sea side there is naturally nothing to interrupt the view of Long Island Sound, as shade is not required for the northerly exposure. During the summer there is a constant panorama of the Sound steamers as well as the yachts from the Seawanhaka and other important clubs in the neighborhood of Oyster Bay.

*** "Villa Gerdrup" no longer stands. ***

Mrs. M. Von Rehling Quistgaard Sells Fine Estate at Bayville New York Tribune • 28 Sep 1922

Henry A. Rogers, of the Wheatley Hills Real Estate Corporation, sold to Mrs, Albert S. Laflin, represented by Douglas L. Elliman & Co., for Mrs. Margaret Von Rehling Quistgaard, wife of the Danish miniature and portrait artist, her country estate at Bayville, L. I., fronting directly on Long Island Sound. The house was designed by Vilhelm Kiorboe, a Danish architect. The general lines of the house are suggestive of both Italy and Spain. The grounds have been highly developed. There is a brick terrace over looking the Sound. The property consists of three and one-third acres. It is one of the most attractive country estates in that section. Mrs. Laflin purchased the house furnished. 

ALBERT C.  LAFLIN DEAD 

Albert S. Laflin, a grandson of the late Matthew Laflin, and the only surviving son of the late Lycurgue Laflin, is dead at the Hotel Royal, in Nice, France. He was in Chicago three months ago and at that time was in excellent health.

The above paragraph, which appeared in a metropolitan paper Thursday, recalls to the elder residents of Mattoon the romance of pretty Hettle Nall, who, now a widow, is watching beside the remains of the man who rescued her from obscurity and made her, as his wife, a person of unquestioned prominence in the world of affairs. Mattoon Morning Star • 19 Apr 1907

Reproduction of an etching by Helleu of Mrs. Gardner Dixie Jones, who formerly was Mrs. Albert G. Laflin, widow of a Chicago millionaire.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch • 06Jun1911 - Mrs. Jones' first husband was a son of Lycurgus Laflin of Chicago and a grandson of Matthew Laflin. She is described as a strikingly handsome woman nearing 40 and the estate her husband bequeather her is estimated variously from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.

Mr. Gardner Dixie Jones was a Christian Science healer from St. Louis, MO. Jones was a son of the late Ethan Allen Jones, a St. Louis carriage manufacturer. After leaving St. Louis he spent part of his time in Chicago. He is a member of an old family of Southern origin.

Jones and Mrs. Laflin met during the last illness of Mrs. Carroll Brown, who was Mrs. Laflin’s closest woman friend. Mrs. Brown was a daughter of Marcus Daly, the Montana copper king.

They divorced in 1915, she sighting "mental domination".

Half-Length Portrait of a Seated Woman, Smoking a Cigarette, Facing Left
Paul-César Helleu, 1859-1927

One of Helleu's etchings of Mrs. Laflin was called "The Lady and the Cigarette” and it created a stir in Chicago society when it was exhibited there.

In it Mrs. Laflin was shown with a cigarette between her fingers, but she declared that she did not smoke it.

Two Men’s Views of Mrs. A. C. Laflin -  

HERE are opinions two famous men expressed about Mrs. Albert C. Laflin:

PAUL HELLEU, the noted etcher: "She Is the most beautiful American I have ever seen."

GEORGE ADE, humorist and playwright: "She is the most entertaining woman in the world."

Albert Laflin pursued 

"Villa Gerdrup"
Ancestral home of J. W. von Rehling Quistgaard
Skaelskor, Denmark

Portrait Of A Society Lady
JOHANN WALDEMAR DE REHLING QUISTGAARD, New York/Denmark, 1877-1962,  Oil On Canvas, 29" X 24".

Johan Waldemar Rehling-Quistgaard Sold at Auction

Peer Smed in his workshop.
ChicagoSilver.com