Southern Interiors of Charleston, South Carolina

Chamberlain, Samuel, and Chamberlain, Narcissa G.

Published by Hastings House, New York, 1956

About this Item

[6], 172 p. (chiefly illus. ) 32 cm. Color Frontis. Index. Samuel Chamberlain and his wife Narcissa were noted authorities on interior architecture and the decorative arts. The dust jacket proclaims that this is 'the first volume to pay appropriate tribute to the extraordinary beauty which lies beyond the hospitable thresholds of Charleston. ' The dust jacket also asserted, correctly we believe, that this would 'become the definitive work on this many-sided subject." From an on-line obituary posting: "Samuel Chamberlain (1895-1975) On January 11, 1975, the Salem Evening News sadly noted the passing of Marblehead's "first citizen, " the famous and locally beloved artist-author Samuel Chamberlain. Chamberlain was born in Iowa in 1895 and raised in the state of Washington. In 1915 he enrolled in the architectural program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, but his education was interrupted by World War I. Like many other young Americans, .he sailed for France to join the volunteer ambulance corps, the American Field Service. By his own admission Chamberalin fell in love with the country even before he stepped foot on shore. At the conclusion of the war Sam returned to Washington where he worked for a time as a renderer for various architectural firms and a commercial artist. But the lure of France was too strong, and in 1922 he headed back to Paris. While he would he return periodically to live in the United States for short stretches he taught for a time at both M.I.T. and the University of Michigan Chamberlain spent most of the next dozen years living in France or traveling about Europe. In 1922 he married Narcissa Gellatly, his beloved "Biscuit, " with whom he eventually had two daughters. As newlyweds, they spent much of the 1920s touring France, Spain, and Italy. In 1927 Sam received a Guggenheim grant and he moved for a short time to London where he attended the Royal Academy. Out of these travels came two published portfolios, "Sketches of Northern Spanish Architecture" and "Domestic Architecture of Rural France, " and, in conjunction with Louis Skidmore, his first book, "Tudor Homes of England." Later in this period Sam also provided the drawings for a book on the use of brick in French architecture by his former professor, William Emerson. While living in Paris in the 1920s Chamberlain studied various printmaking techniques under some of the world's finest teachers.By 1934 they were back in the U.S. for good. The Chamberlains settled in Marblehead, .within commuting distance of M.I.T. where Sam was teaching. While Chamberlain continued to work as a printmaker, his focus from 1935 was increasingly on photography. Early books of his photographs of Cape Cod and New England architectural treasures were followed by his "American Landmark" series.In each of these photo books Chamberlain captured the essence of the landscape and architecture of a popular tourist destination, among them Salem, Marblehead, and Nantucket. Many of Chamberlain s books from the mid-1930s on would be published by Hastings House, a company founded specifically by Walter Frese as an outlet for Chamberlain's work. Together they would produce four dozen books, and many of these, including "Salem Interiors, " "A Stroll Through Historic Salem, " and "Southern Interiors" were related to American colonial architecture.During his lifetime Sam Chamberlain was widely respected for his work as a printmaker, artist, photographer, and writer. He was a member of the esteemed National Academy of Design, the American Institute of Architects, and other prestigious societies in America and Europe. He received many awards and left behind more than eighty books. Also included in is legacy is the Marblehead Arts Association of which he was a founding member." We believe that Narcissa Chamberlain is the same author noted for the definitive work on 'how to make a perfect omlette" Very good in good dust jacket. DJ has some wear, soiling, and small tears. Seller Inventory # 67712

Bibliographic Details

Title: Southern Interiors of Charleston, South ...

Publisher: Hastings House, New York

Publication Date: 1956

Binding: Hardcover

Edition: Presumed first edition/first printing.