Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is a decorative arts museum in Washington, D.C., USA. The former residence of businesswoman, diplomat, philanthropist and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood is known for its large decorative arts collection that focuses heavily on the House of Romanov. Included in the collection are Fabergé eggs and 18th and 19th century French art and one of the country's finest orchid collections.
During her marriage with Davies, who served as the second Ambassador to the Soviet Union in the mid-1930s, she acquired a vast collection of objects from the pre-Bolshevik Russia, including a chandelier from the Catherine Palace that hung in her breakfast nook, and Fabergé art works including the Twelve Monograms Easter egg. Post had her first guests to the house in May 1957 and hosted her first big party there on July 7, 1957. Hillwood quickly gained a reputation as one of Washington's "most extraordinary estates".
Think of all the French, or Russian, pretty and expensive china or porcelain you have seen at Chatsworth, Buckingham Palace, British Museum or gasped at the price on the Antiques Roadshow for a single plate – throw them (well, not actually throw) altogether in a nice house, with a few (lot) of crystal chandeliers, add some priceless Faberge eggs, pictures of the Romanov family, Russian gold and silver chalices, encrusted with diamonds – and you have a day out with your jaw well and truly dropped.
Oh – and the orchid house was pretty good too – single Slipper Orchid in Silverdale eat your heart out.
And then, to add to the interest, was a great exhibition by an artist who creates cloth and period costumes from paper only – even the lace and trimmings and shoes you see are paper. Several of the pieces were placed around the house to illustrate different periods, as well as a special exhibition space.
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