Turn-of-the-Century House Designs: With Floor Plans, Elevations and Interior Details of 24 Residences (Dover Architecture) [Paperback]

William T. Comstock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1994 | Series: Dover Architecture

Designs and plans for constructing country homes with over 130 illustrations depicting interior and exterior designs, perspectives, and more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (September 9, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486281868
• ISBN-13: 978-0486281865
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #704,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What distinguishes this book is..., February 8, 2004

By 

Scott C. Elliott "S. Clementson" (Hillsboro, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Turn-of-the-Century House Designs: With Floor Plans, Elevations and Interior Details of 24 Residences (Dover Architecture) (Paperback)

Although the title says "Turn of the Century", this book reprints an 1893 book and is more typical of 19th century than 20th century architecture books. The distinguishing features of this book:

- Nineteen different architects contributed the various designs, so the book showcases a wide variety of styles. Even the presentation varies from one design to another. Each architect gives an elaborate description, pointing out the specific advantages and features of his design, sometimes even telling a story about its history.

- There's a sixteen-page primer entitled "Suggestions On House Building" that describes 19th century house design and construction in remarkable detail. It gives the rationale for the placement of every fixture, including gas outlets and electric lighting, and even debates specific construction techniques like plastering and sheathing.

- The book is bound sideways, so that it must be held with the binding at the top instead of at the side. This makes the book rather inconvenient to browse.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars End-of-the-19th-Century Suburban Homes, February 7, 2008

By 

Classicdude (River City) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Turn-of-the-Century House Designs: With Floor Plans, Elevations and Interior Details of 24 Residences (Dover Architecture) (Paperback)

A reprint of Comstock's 1893 publication SUBURBAN AND COUNTRY HOMES, 24 architect-designed houses are shown with drawings showing plans and at least a general perspective view. Sometimes additional exterior elevations are shown as well as an ocassional interior detail view. A short text accompanies each along with an estimate of the cost to construct, usually around $5,000. Perhaps to keep construction costs down, most of the houses are all-wood. Influences of the movement that came to be known as the Shingle Style are indicated along with the influences of the Arts & Crafts style, and the Colonial Revival. Although the intent might have been to showcase the work of the architects, the book could also have been used as a jumping-off-point for speculative builders and contractors who took the minimal design information and went on from there (just like home plan magazines of today). Manhattan architects are William A. Lambert, E.G.W. Dietrich, Manly N. Cutter, George Martin Huss, Frank W. Beall, Creighton Withers, A.L.C. Marsh, Stanley S. Covert, John Brower Jr, and E.R. Tilton. Brooklyn architects are E.L. Messenger and Otto J. Gette. Also included are Newark, NJ, architect Charles P. Baldwin, and Montclair, NJ, architect Theo. Hopping. Other areas of the country are represented by architects A.W. Cobb of Winthrop Highlands, MA, L.S. Buffington of Minneapolis, MN, McCurdy & Pulis of Denver, CO, and John Calvin Stevens of Portland, ME.

This book also includes two articles with home-building advice. "Suggestions On House Building" by A.W. Cobb follows the manner by which an architect would advise his client during the process of designing a house, interesting as well as largely applicable today. "How to Plumb a Surburban House" by Leonard D. Hosford is more interesting from a historic point of view.

As each of the houses was actually built, it would have been most interesting to follow up with photographs both period and current (if still extant) and to have a bio on each of the architects. Perhaps these comments would inspire Volume II. But as is, this book is a handy and economical reference for preservationists looking for documentation of home building during this period.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well illustrated well written, June 10, 2007

By 

Michael N. Ryan (Bel AIr, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Turn-of-the-Century House Designs: With Floor Plans, Elevations and Interior Details of 24 Residences (Dover Architecture) (Paperback)

Well illustrated and well written guide on the houses of this subject. Some even provide info on Attics and basement. A treat for those interested in the houses of this period.

Beutifully done work this one.