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February 15, 2019

A Vanderbilt House Party – The Gilded Age at the Biltmore

11 Comments/ 139/ 1

It’s no secret that I love visiting the Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC.  Chris and I have been season passholders since we moved back to North Carolina and I take any opportunity I get to stop by and visit.  The great thing is that they are always changing exhibits and offering new things for folks to enjoy and it keeps us all going back time and time again.

Biltmore House was a collaborative effort between George Vanderbilt, architect Richard Morris Hunt, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Completed in 1895, the home contains over four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 45 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.

The current special exhibit in the house is named A Vanderbilt House Party – The Gilded Age. The rooms are adorned with mannequins who are dressed in the garb of both daytime and nighttime attire during the times when there were family and friends present at the estate.  As always the exhibit was an exquisite look at the finery of the era.

When Ann and I visited it was a rainy dreary Tuesday and the perfect day to wander through the house.  It was practically empty of guests and we had unobstructed views and could enjoy a stroll through the house at our own pace.  The route that we took was a little different than on previous visits so it was fun to see a few different rooms and go in a different direction than I had before.

Reproductions of clothing from the Vanderbilts’ own wardrobes are displayed in the settings in which they were originally worn.  Guided by Biltmore curators, Oscar®-winning costumier John Bright and Cosprop of London recreated the styles that the Vanderbilt family and their guests wore at the turn of the century. The results are amazing.

This special show is on display at the estate in Asheville from February 8th, 2019 until May 27th, 2019.  It is well worth a trip to see these spectacular displays.  Tickets and more information can be accessed on line at the Biltmore website.

I absolutely love these exhibits and am so happy when I can have the chance to go to see them.  We hit the exhibit during the first week of having it on display and there was a sense of excitement in the air.  If you are in the Asheville area this might be a great thing to put on your bucket list.  There is plenty to see on the grounds and all kinds of restaurants and shopping as well.

If you have been to one of these exhibits at the Biltmore before I would love to hear your impressions.  Please leave me a comment and Comment for a Cause for PAWS.  You can read more information about Comments for a Cause by clicking here.

 

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11 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Darlene
    February 15, 2019 at 07:45 am

    I love looking at old fashions like these. Fabulous displays although I found the headless men a bit disturbing. A great thing to do on a rainy day! Nice to have the place almost to yourselves. xo

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      February 15, 2019 at 07:51 am

      Yea, I am not sure why those guys bowling had no heads! I think they were the only ones and it was weird. I mean you kind of need eyes to bowl, right? Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  2. Janet Givens
    February 15, 2019 at 08:13 am

    I’ve been to Asheville once, on our nomadic summer following our Peace Corps stint. I remember driving up to the estate and looking around the grounds: impressive but out of our budget. (Embarrassingly) What made a bigger impression was learning that Andy McDowell lived in Asheville. Thanks for showing me the inside. Can you imagine yourself ever living there?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      February 15, 2019 at 08:23 am

      It is a really fabulous estate and one that makes me wonder how on earth they could possible live in such an opulent manner. It is fun to imagine what the parties were like and what their daily life entailed. We have a lot of “celebrity” types that call North Carolina home and it is fun to think about catching a glimpse of them now and then. Thanks os much for stopping by. And no—I could not imagine living there!

      Reply
  3. jena c. henry
    February 15, 2019 at 08:19 am

    How nice of you to take so many photos for us. Loved looking at all the styles. Can you imagine people 125 years from now seeing the same type of exhibit with today’s style-scenes of yoga pants and distressed jeans?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      February 15, 2019 at 08:24 am

      Very good point! I think our fashion today pales in comparison, don’t you? And how about some of the Hollywood fashions? Holy cow!

      Reply
  4. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    February 15, 2019 at 10:24 am

    You know I would love the Biltmore and all those exhibits. Thanks for sharing them here since I can’t visit in person.

    Reply
  5. justmuddlingthroughlife
    February 15, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Wow very interesting, lovely photos. Living in the UK, I doubt I will ever actually visit but nice to read and learn about it.

    Reply
  6. susi_snaps
    February 15, 2019 at 03:43 pm

    Thes outfits r, I nd me so much of “The Titanic”. I love them, even though I’m glad we don’t have to worry about having help getting dressed with what they wore underneath those dresses. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Shirley Matthews Dunn
    February 15, 2019 at 05:31 pm

    So much fun looking at the fashion of the time. Loved it. My husband and I visited a few years ago in the summer and enjoyed every minute. As of last New Years Eve we have a family connection now, our oldest grandson Andrew purposed to his sweet lady on the grounds of the estate. I think it would be fun to go back and find the spot he purposed.

    Reply
  8. Mama's Empty Nest
    February 16, 2019 at 10:02 am

    What fun! I really want to go back to the Biltmore some day!

    Reply

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