Book Description

The genesis of this volume was the discovery, in 1975, of a faded copy of the inventory of States Dyckman's possessions, taken shortly after his death in 1806. The document raised many questions about the furnishings then on display in Boscobel, and initiated a period of extensive research and reevaluation. It was the architectural beauty of Boscobel, rather than its historical associations, that guided its rescuers in the 1950's and encouraged the conception of Boscobel as States Dyckman's dreamhouse, recreating, on the banks of the Hudson, the elegance and luxury he had enjoyed during his extended sojourns in England. English and Continental furnishings were collected, and surviving examples of Dyckman's own purchases were overwhelmed by crystal chandeliers and elaborate floral carpets. --Preface.