This photo is of 660 Fifth Avenue home of William K. Vanderbilt and his wife Alva Vanderbilt. It was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. This home was important because it helped Alva become accepted into New York's high society after she held a costume ball here for the homes first reveal. At the time the Vanderbilt's were considered New Money and were snubbed by the old Knickerbocker families of NY and by Caroline Astor who ruled high society. Richard Morris Hunt would later go on to Newport to design Marble House, a Gilded Age summer cottage as a birthday gift to Alva from her husbsnd.
Alva was personally very involved with the design and planning of both 660 and Marble House, in which she spent just one Season before divorcing her husband.
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This photo is of 660 Fifth Avenue home of William K. Vanderbilt and his wife Alva Vanderbilt. It was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. This home was important because it helped Alva become accepted into New York's high society after she held a costume ball here for the homes first reveal. At the time the Vanderbilt's were considered New Money and were snubbed by the old Knickerbocker families of NY and by Caroline Astor who ruled high society. Richard Morris Hunt would later go on to Newport to design Marble House, a Gilded Age summer cottage as a birthday gift to Alva from her husbsnd.
ReplyDeleteAlva was personally very involved with the design and planning of both 660 and Marble House, in which she spent just one Season before divorcing her husband.
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