Monday, September 3, 2012

Fonthill: the Mad Archaeologist's Dream House

Fonthill is the crazy house built by Henry Chapman Mercer in 1908 to 1912. The house was built of poured concrete, which was then carved into the shape we see today. The house is in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and now belongs to Bucks County, which operates it as a museum.

Mercer was an archaeologist and a majhor proponent of the Arts & Crafts Movement; he also founded the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works to make tiles in a bewildering variety of shapes and designs.






The interior is decorated with tiles in bizarre profusion.


What a fabulous bit of weirdness this is; I wish I could go tomorrow.

2 comments:

Carole67 said...

I've been there John. It is quite something to see

leif said...

likewise (about wanting to go). that looks amazing.