“SHE IS PAINTED IN THE MOST DELIGHTFUL ANTIQUE WAY”
Letter: January 27, 1916
From: Unknown [Presumably Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya’s Artistic Director]
To: James Deering, Vizcaya’s Owner
Reveal Transcript
James Deering, Esq.,
Miami, Fla.
Dear Mr. Deering
[I have] your several welcome telegrams and letters from Key [West. I am] proceeding to form a committee. I shall answer the [various] questions you ask me in a day or two, but I am now sending you something which I trust will give you as extraordinary pleasure as it does me, and which will be an offset to the serious bill accompanying it. I observe that Mr. Culver has asked a round price, the same as he asked at first, without deducting anything, but I know that the ship cost him much more extra time, as I myself suggested many changes and was even operative in some of them. The main mast is fully 5’5″ high. I do not attempt to give you the length, but I believe that a ship is supposed to be inscribed in a circle, which would make the approximate length the same as the height, She is painted in the most delightful antique way, and all blistered and scarred up; she is built and not hewn out, so that she could float, her sails are sewn, her rigging authentic in every particular, and even the archeology of the flags, the ornament, and escutcheons, cannons, anchors, etc., is accurate and historic in the most scrupulous degree. The ship, as you will notice from the detail, is supposed to be slightly later in period than those of Columbus, corresponding to the twenty years which approximately separates [the two] expeditions. I take it on the whole to be one of [our greatest] successes, and I judge from the admiration it has [unknown] excited you will be gratified with it, and the comment [it calls for] and the interest it excites.
Sincerely yours,
[presumably Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya’s Artistic Director]
ELEVEN MONTHS LATER, THE SAN CRISTOBAL CARAVEL WAS SHIPPED TO VIZCAYA.
Letter: December 4, 1916
From: Unknown
To: P.E. Paist, c/o [care of] James Deering Estate
Reveal Transcript
List of materials shipped via PRR. In carload shipped Dec. 2nd, 1916, Consigned to P.E. Past, c/o James Deering Estate, Miami Florida No. P.R.R. 48971————
P.R. No. 429 (Cont’d).
C.A. 28, 2 Ivory Tables.
B.B. 40, 2 Met. Dancers.
B.B. 69, 2 Met Dishes.
B.B. 37, 1 Met. Match Box.
H.O. 86, 2 Met. Plates
B.B. 67, 5 Met. Plates
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430 F. 350, 1 Marble Top for Bureau. Salon F.
Received from Chicago, July 12th, 1916.
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461 A.P. 101, 1 Ship. 4 Cannons. 1 Hatch Cover.
Made by H. Culver.
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463 F. #52. 1 Throne Chair.
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464 F. #234. 1 Table.
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468 F. #275 1 Side Chair.
F. #275, 1 Arm Chair
1 Bundle of Covering for Chairs in Miami. Bed Room B.
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470 F. #10 2 Benches. Corridor to A.
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74 Conents of S.B. #223, 1 Statue.
Woodruff Co. Nov. 20th, 1916.
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475 Contents of S.B. #224. 1 Statue. Contents shaking in case when received. Woodruff Co., Nov. 20th 1916.
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476 Contents of S.B. #222, 1 Statue, Woodruff Co., Nov. 20th, 1916
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477 L.F. #9., 2 Elect. Fixtures, Bedroom H.
H.C. #31, 2 Trays, Reception Room.
L.F. #150, 2 Fixtures.
L.F. #114, 2 Fixtures, Bed Room F.
L.F. #130, 2 Fixtures.
H.O. #52, 2 Boxes. Bed Room D.
H.O. #95, 3 Boxes, Library.
N.N. 1 Package Flower Holders. Flower Room.
H.O. #114, Bed Room A.
H.O. #114, Bed Room E.
H.O. #148, 2 Trays, 2 candle sticks First Floor
2 Brushes- 2 Powder Boxes Men’s coat rm.
EXPLORE A 3D MODEL OF CULVER’S CARAVEL HANGING IN EAST LOGGIA
Reveal images of the caravel made by Henry Brundage Culver
Read an article about Culver's caravel written by Vizcaya's late curator, Doris Littlefield
