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Sunflower House

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1840; 1878 remodeled, Clarence Luce. 130 Mount Vernon St.
  • Sunflower House (Peter Vanderwarker or Antonina Smith)

For English-born artist and interior designer Frank Hill Smith, Clarence Luce remodeled an old house in the latest architectural fashion, creating one of the charming surprises of Beacon Hill. Prior to settling in New York, Luce briefly worked in Boston and produced two major Queen Anne projects—Stanwood House in Brookline and the Sunflower House, whose name derives from the floral motif seen in the gable end and most often associated with the Queen Anne style. Luce's design captures all of the playfulness inherent in the free interpretation of English Tudor architectural ornament. Substituting American shingles for English terra-cotta tiles, Luce included carved griffins, half timbering, and windows with small panes of glass. A stucco wall enclosing the side yard is a later addition.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Keith N. Morgan
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Data

What's Nearby

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Citation

Keith N. Morgan, "Sunflower House", [Boston, Massachusetts], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-BH45.

Print Source

Cover: Buildings of Massachusetts

Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston, Keith N. Morgan, with Richard M. Candee, Naomi Miller, Roger G. Reed, and contributors. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009, 118-118.

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