Craftsman Calendar • November

RARE IRVING GILL FURNITURE
ON DISPLAY AT MARSTON HOUSE, BALBOA PARK

Redwood furniture designed a century ago by Irving J. Gill, San Diego’s foremost modernist architect, is on public view together for the first time at the recently reopened Marston House Museum and Gardens in Balboa Park. 

A simple bed, a dining room server, three chairs with cowhide upholstery and an occasional table that the architect designed for the 1907 Wheeler J. Bailey house in La Jolla are on loan from Bailey’s family to Save Our Heritage Organisation, the new operator of the Marston House Museum.

SOHO recently reopened the House, which has been furnished in the Arts and Crafts style. The exhibit occupies a newly restored bedroom that was previously closed to public view. 

Gill’s rare, rudimentary furniture reflects the Arts and Crafts spirit of the home, but contrasts with the polished craftsmanship of the Marston House’s redwood- and oak-paneled interior, which the architect designed as a partner in Hebbard & Gill in 1904 for the prominent George White and Anna Gunn Marston family. However, the unvarnished, nailed-together furniture suited the rustic character of the Bailey house and can be seen in many published period photographs of that redwood home, which overlooks the ocean.

”Unlike Pasadena-based architects Greene and Greene, who designed homes complete with all the furnishings, Gill did not design the total environment for his clients,” said Erik Hanson, a SOHO board member and Gill expert. “He designed this furniture to match the Bailey house in a style not readily available. The wood is thick and well chosen, but Gill used house-building technology in nailing the pieces together.”

In addition, a redwood chest of drawers with leather straps for pulls designed by San Diego architects Richard Requa and Frank Mead for Hopi House, a Pueblo Revival home near the Bailey house, is also on view. A carved bench by William Templeton Johnson that was commissioned by the Marstons for their garden and is a part of the museum’s permanent collection completes the exhibit of early 20th-century architect-designed furniture. Gill (1870-1936) designed the six-bedroom, seven-bath Marston House early in his San Diego career. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house is the finest remaining example of Hebbard & Gill’s residential work. A grand house used often for indoor-outdoor entertaining, it also includes such design innovations as raised thresholds to keep rooms cleaner, solar heating, built-in furniture, and interior windows that bring light and fresh air into closets.

The Marston House is at 3525 Seventh Ave. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is $5. For information, call (619) 232-6203.

STICKLEY ROAD SHOW
OCT. 28, SEASIDE HOME
7509 GIRARD AVE., LA JOLLA
A program featuring Mike Danial, L&J.G. Stickley corporate historian. Wine and cheese, 6 p.m.; program at 7 p.m.
Seating limited. For reservations, call (858) 454-0866.

OLD PASADENA
WALKING TOUR
PASADENA HERITAGE
NOV. 7
Pasadena Heritage hosts a tour of Pasadena’s historic Old Pasadena. Tours begin at 9 a.m. and include a slide presentation and a 90-minute guided walk. Old Pasadena, with its array of historic buildings, is a National Register Historic Diostrict and is one of the best examples of downtown revitalization in the country. Tickets are $10 per person. Reservations are required. To reserve, call (626) 441-6333 or visit www.pasadenaheritage.org.

SEASONS OF THE HEART
CRAFT FAIR
NOV. 13-15
DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS
Handcrafted items and one-of-a-kind gifts from nearly 100 vendors. No admission charge.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

CENTURY OF STYLE ANTIQUES & DESIGN SHOW
NOV. 20-22, DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS

Calendar Shows LLC presents antiques and designs in Modernism, Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, Mission, Art Nouveau and more. The show is designed to appeal to collectors and dealers who focus on these categories. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $8; under 18 free. For more information, call (626) 791-8310.

CORONADO MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART
“Hotel del Coronado Tour”: The Coronado Museum of History and Art offers a one-hour, docent-led tour of the Hotel del Coroado and its history. It is the only tour to go inside the hotel. Make reservations through the Coronado Visitors Center by calling (619) 437-8788. The fee is $15. Tours run Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
“Promenade Through the Past”: Departs from the lobby of the Museum of History and Art, 1100 Orange Ave, Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Learn about some of Coronado’s famous buildings and architectural sites, including Tent City resort. Tour fee includes “Promenade Through the Past – A Walking Tour Guidebook of Coronado” and covers admission into the Museum of History and Art. $10. 
(619) 437-8788. Reservations Required.

GAMBLE HOUSE
ONGOING, PASADENA
The David B. Gamble House, constructed in 1908, is an internationally recognized masterpiece of the turn-of-the-century Arts & Crafts movement in America. It is the most complete and original example of the work of architects Charles and Henry Greene and a National Historic Landmark. One-hour guided tours Thursday-Sunday noon to 3 p.m. Closed national holidays. General admission: $8; Students/65+: $5; Children under 12 with an adult, free. Group tours available by reservation. For information call (626) 793-3334.

MUSEUM OF ART
ONGOING, LONG BEACH
The museum home includes a splendid, imposing example of the Craftsman bungalow. Built in 1912 as the summer home of heiress Elizabeth Milbank Anderson, it has the natural materials and rugged texture of wood shingles and clinker brick. The prominent gables and projecting rafter beams, like the rest of the main house and carriage house, retain their original integrity. The style is echoed by similar homes in the nearby Bluff Park Historic District. 2300 E. Ocean Blvd. (562) 439-2119.

STANLEY RANCH MUSEUM
ONGOING, GARDEN GROVE
A California bungalow built in 1916 is one focal point of this two-acre property, home to some of Garden Grove’s oldest homes and business buildings. Phone the Garden Grove Historical Society at (714) 530-8871.

LUMMIS HOME MUSEUM
ONGOING, HIGHLAND PARK
The arroyo-stone home built by Charles Fletcher Lummis, founder of the Southwest Museum, is a state historic monument listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 200 E. Ave. 43. Friday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. For information, call (323) 222-0546.

LANTERMAN HOUSE TOUR
ONGOING, LA CANADA
The Craftsman-style house, built in 1914 by Arthur Haley, was the region’s first concrete residence. Located at 4420 Encinas Dr., it is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the first and third Sundays of the month, from 1-4 p.m. Adults, $3; students, $1; under 12, free. For more information, call (818) 790-1421.

HOMESTEAD MUSEUM
ONGOING, CITY OF INDUSTRY
Documenting a century of Southern California history, the six-acre museum features the Workman House, La Casa Nueva and El Campo Santo cemetery; 15415 E. Don Julian Road. Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. (626) 968-8492.

L.A. ART DECO TOURS
ONGOING, LOS ANGELES
Tours of downtown Los Angeles are led on Saturdays; $5 admission. For reservations, call (213) 623-CITY.

JUDSON STUDIOS
ONGOING, LOS ANGELES
The Judson Studios served as the turn-of-the-century core of the Arroyo Craftsman movement, located at 200 S. Ave. 66. For more information, call (800) 445-8376 or click on judsonstudios.com.

HERITAGE VILLAGE TOUR
ONGOING, CLAREMONT
The first Saturday of each month. The 1 3/4 hour walk begins at 10 a.m. in front of the Historic Claremont Metrolink Depot, 200 W. First St. (Walk is canceled if it’s raining at 8 a.m.) Call (909) 621-8871.

RIORDAN MANSION PARK
ONGOING, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ.
One of Arizona’s best examples of Craftsman architecture, the mansion was designed by Charles Whittlesey and built as a duplex. Original furnishings, including pieces by Ellis, Stickley and Tiffany Studios, are found at the house museum. Guided, handicapped-accessible tours are held daily. The house is located at 409 Riordan Road. Further details are available at (520) 779-4395.

BOETTCHER MANSION
OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
ONGOING, GOLDEN, COLO.
Tour a 1917 Arts & Crafts mansion, a 10,000-square-foot summer home built by Charles Boettcher, famous Colorado entrepreneur. Dramatic cathedral ceilings with carved beams, massive stone walk-in fireplace, some original hardware and lighting. See permanent exhibit of early mansion photos and original blueprints, including an ink-on-linen drawing. Open all year, generally Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday varies. On 110 forested acres with views of the Continental Divide and the Colorado plains. Twenty minutes from Denver. Free for touring. Call (303) 526-0855.

MOSS MANSION
ONGOING, BILLINGS, MONT.
Nearly unchanged since 1903, Moss Mansion, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, can be found on the National Register of Historical Places. Visitors will find original furniture, Oriental carpets, handmade light fixtures, and a variety of design styles inside the mansion. Contact (406) 256-5100.

KELL HOUSE
ONGOING, WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS
Frank Kell built one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Wichita Falls, the red-brick neoclassic Kell House in 1909. It features distinctive architecture, original family furnishings, textiles, decorative arts and early-20th-century costumes. Exhibitions change in April and September. Ask for directions to the Southland and Floral Heights bungalow neighborhoods when you visit. The Kell House is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Adults, $3; children 12 and under, $1. For information, call (940) 723-2712.

VAN BRIGGLE POTTERY
ONGOING, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.
With its works showcased in world-renowned museums such as the Louvre and Metropolitan Museum of Art, complimentary tours of the Van Briggle studio were established in 1899. Call (719) 633-7729 for further information.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HOME AND STUDIO
ONGOING, OAK PARK, ILL.
These 45-minute guided tours of the restored Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio are offered year-round at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 951 Chicago, Oak Park, IL 60302, (708) 848-1976.

UNITY TEMPLE
ONGOING, OAK PARK, ILL.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the temple is open weekdays, 1-4 p.m., with weekend guided tours. Call (708) 383-8873. More Craftsman gems are evident throughout Chicagoland neighborhoods.

JOHNSON WAX CO. BUILDING
ONGOING, RACINE, WIS.
Reservations are required for tours, held Fridays only, of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building. Call (262) 260-2000 for information.

BRYN ATHYN CATHEDRAL
ONGOING, BRYN ATHYN, PENN.
Guided tours of the center of the Swedenborgian community. Specialty tours by request. The cathedral was built between 1919-1927 using a purist idea of the Arts & Crafts Artisan Guild System. Some of the original guild shops are still in use and continue to house craftsmen. This building and its environment are unique among Arts & Crafts communities in that the religious beliefs of the Swedenborgian community were blended with the Arts & Crafts ideology. Tours for individuals are free. Tours for large groups $2 per person. Contact the cathedral between the hours of 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at (215) 947-0266.

GUSTAV STICKLEY EXHIBIT
ONGOING, SYRACUSE, N.Y.
A small ongoing exhibit of Gustav Stickley and the Arts & Crafts era. Showing period examples of his work along with his peers. At the Everson Museum, corner of Harrison and State streets. Call (315) 447-6064.

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
ONGOING, NEW YORK
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the museum is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call (212) 423-3500 for more.