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May 4, 1944. "Jesse Oser residence, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Louis I. Kahn, architect. Living room to fireplace." With a nice view of the avant-garden. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.
The one in the corner?
In spite of the sleek, modern look in this room, there is no welcoming softness or warmth, even with a fireplace. I would have to stand the entire time because there would be no hope of getting up out of any of the furnishings and falling on the floor would require a trip to the emergency room. Sorry, but it's not my idea of "home", no matter how new and stylish Louis Kahn thought it was.
Then as now, interior photographers went to some length to hide clutter, moving furniture to conceal electrical outlets, and unplugging lamps and appliances to hide the cords. It appears that this has been done here, but what is that huge industrial-grade cord to the left? I would imagine the photographer couldn't find any other place to plug in his floodlights, except the shadows give no evidence of any lighting other than daylight through the ample windows.
For that matter, how did one go about building a high-quality custom home amid wartime rationing? Mr. Oser must have paid his contractor well to begin hoarding material in December 1941. My family once had a house which according to records was built in 1943, but the quality of original wiring and plumbing seemed to make that date impossible. The original owner was a retired stockbroker.
[The use of supplementary lighting is evidenced by some sharp shadows - in particular that cast by the goose-neck lamp - as well as the reflection in its shade. -tterrace]
The low table and chairs remind me a little of a curved-leg children's table and chair set from my childhood. The US Census shows this family with 2 young children so my guess is the table is sometimes a place for the kids to write or color but easily becomes a cocktail/coffee table when guests are present.
They'll have to rearrange things when the TV arrives in the fifties.
I'll bet it leaks. It's the price of being modern.
The furniture has sort of a purposeless look about it. Today
we have a focus for its arrangement; the TV. That's progress!
John
The fireplace wall using square bricks or brick ends looks fantastic. Might have to do that myself.
Everything is modern design - except the end table! Must have been a gift from a relative that was due to visit just after the picture was taken.
Read more about the designer of that house, with a few more pics here.
Located at 628 Stetson Road, Elkins Park PA:
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It is amazing how sad and how uncomfortable the room looks.
Looks like you might think it would.
The look was progressive, shiek and new back then.
Today, you almost want to ask where the stylized Pink Flamingo is.
[Or Rudolph Valentino. -tterrace]
Could almost as likely be 1954.
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