Fonthill: The Home of Henry Chapman Mercer: An American Architectural Treasure

by Thomas G. Poos

This book provides a fascinating look at the unique home and creative genius of Henry Chapman Mercer. In 1908, renowned tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer, a key figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement in the U.S., turned his genius and artistic talents to planning and constructing Fonthill, a "castle in concrete." Fonthill served as Mercer's residence and a personal museum for his decorative tiles, prints and artifacts from 1912 until he died in 1930. More than 100 pages of text, abundant photography, and previously unpublished illustrations, sketches and comments from Mercer's own construction notebook, give readers a wonderful appreciation for Fonthill and Henry Mercer. Twenty color photographs (of 56 total) combine with architectural cross sections for each level of Fonthill to highlight the innovative design, artistic detail and decorative tile work that comprise this American architectural treasure. This book shows why Fonthill, one of the best late-Romantic buildings in America, has been designated a National Historic Landmark and featured on television in an award-winning episode of "America's Castles."

Genres: Travel, Architecture

102 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2000

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having toured Fonthill, I was hoping that this paperback would be more comprehensive. It has great images and a few neat stories, but a little more depth would be nice, possibly about some of the specific artifacts he collected, and some samples of the tile from around the world, and or the stories that some of the tiles tell. It's great to see them in person, but that's not enough time to fully take in this unique American castle.