Scouting at Skylands, my Home in Maine
Last Saturday, a group of us from the magazine, flew to Skylands, my home in Seal Harbor, Maine. Skylands is an amazing estate and we are planning on shooting another magazine story there. The purpose of our trip was a scouting mission to come up with a great detailed theme for the story. That mission was accomplished and of course, we cannot divulge any information at this time. Going through cupboards, the group really liked an unusual collection of pitchers in the shapes of fruits and vegetables. The pottery looks somewhat like majolica. Does anyone know what it might be?
1 As is his nature, G.K. was calm and happy for the duration of the flight.
2 Here we are approaching our destination. That's Mound Desert Island in the back round.
3 The Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport is conveniently located half way between the City of Ellsworth and the Town of Bar Harbor. It overlooks Mount Desert Narrows, Frenchman Bay, and Mount Desert Island.
4 Another view of the beautiful landscape
5 Magnificent!
6 Coming in for a landing over farmlands
7 Francesca sitting on Kevin's lap - she's quite used to flying.
8 Sharkey's very relaxed on Zaki's lap.
9 The bench in the map room was designated for everyone's day bags.
10 We took many detail photos, like this one of my ironstone platters.
11 The butler's pantry is filled with amazing sets of China, left there by the previous owners.
12 The group just loved this collection of fruit and vegetable pitchers. They look a bit like majolica and were part of the estate when I purchased Skylands.
13 Perhaps a gourd?
14 A bunch of carrots
15 Orange slices or perhaps pomegranate?
16 A bunch of grapes
17 More detailed orange slices
18 A lovely strawberry
19 Lemon slices
20 A whole lemon
21 Lime slices
22 A whole orange
23 A cantelope
24 A red apple
25 A golden grapefruit
26 A rosey tomato
27 I love this cactus garden growing in one of my faux bois cement planters.
28 In the great room, this cactus was having a problem, so I carefully cut it at its base.
29 I was very cautious not to touch a single spine.
30 The cactus was removed and discarded.
31 It was a good, quick fix.
32 The leaded glass panes in this window have been removed for repair. Repairing leaded glass requires a good deal of skill.
33 Skylands has many, many beautiful leaded glass windows. Fortunately, when Edsel Ford built this estate, he used the finest craftsmen and materials. Most of the windows are still in great shape.
34 Food always tastes great at Skylands. This is a bowl of impeccably fresh lump crabmeat.
35 For lunch, I made a yummy crab meat salad using a little homemade mayo.
36 This leafy salad was amazing.
37 We had crab meat sandwiches on lightly toasted Balthazar bread.
38 We had ripe tomato slices and a platter of asparagus.
39 I picked the asparagus in my vegetable garden in Bedford. It's very prolific this year. I served it steamed with a shaving of parmesan.
40 After lunch we got rather silly standing on stools - Deb, Emily, Kevin, me, Allana, and Anthony.
Posted by: KLBrown | April 13th, 2010 at 12:23 am
WOW! What a view.. I was up in that area just the weekend before last.. on the eighty degree weekend.. views were spectacular. Strange are to drive through.. you have mountains to your left and majestic cliffs and beaches to your right. The water is amazingly blue in that area. You can see my photo's of the cliffs too!
Thanks for the great pictures! The pitchers are definitely not majolica.. hmmm?
wwww.meandmartha.net
Dan Viger
Hollis center Maine.
Posted by: Daniel Viger | April 13th, 2010 at 12:38 am
I was staying over on Flye Point this weekend and the sunrise over Cadillac mountain was spectacular Sunday morning, I hope you were able to enjoy the show from Mt Desert Island during your stay.
Posted by: Holly | April 13th, 2010 at 4:17 am
Hi from Spain! This place is beatiful, thanks Martha for your blog, your photos, and because I,m knowing this places thank to you. Here in Spain it,s very dificult to buy your magazines and your books, I bought some second hand "Living" magazines by ebay, and I,m enjoying a lot reading them. Here we need tv programs like yours, and your advices. Come soon to Spain, kisses from Madrid.
Posted by: Carmen | April 13th, 2010 at 4:50 am
Looks like you all had a great time! I love seeing the collection's of platters! How fun to see one item repeated, makes a great photo. Can't wait to read the article when it comes out. Thanks Martha!
Posted by: Ronique Gibson | April 13th, 2010 at 5:44 am
Hi Martha .. .I absolutely love all the pitchers!! How much fun it would be to serve fresh squeezed juices in its appropriate pitcher!!
Obviously my mouth was watering viewing your crab meat sandwiches and delicious looking asparagus and salads!
ALways count on you and your beautiful photos !
Great day and look forward to your articles on "pottery"!
Stay well .. .
your friend . .nina
Posted by: nina zeumer | April 13th, 2010 at 8:29 am
I absolutely love the pitchers! What a collection! I wonder if the one pitcher in picture #15 is of pomegranates and not oranges? Beautiful none the less!
Posted by: Leah | April 13th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Welcome back! Am happy you're enjoying your beautiful estate in this beautiful state of Maine!
And am curious about what appears to be a zinc table or countertop. Is it zinc?
I installed a zinc counter top in my kitchen and everybody thought I was crazy. I even had to have the zinc sent from California to Maine because I couldn't find a source here.
But I love it. Unfortunately I couldn't find anybody to solder the seams. Should I worry about that?
Can't wait to see what you're covering here.
What would we do without you?
Posted by: Susan | April 13th, 2010 at 8:54 am
This place is a wonderland! Wow, I can't get enough...just keep the photos and text coming this way please.
And the majolica?? I'm drooling.
Posted by: IowaCowgirl | April 13th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hey Martha! I love the pitchers! I think, though, that the one in #15 is maybe pomegranates or tomatoes even?
Posted by: Laura | April 13th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I don't know what the pottery is, but I can say that I can't wait to see the magazine story about Seal Harbour.
Posted by: cheap bedside table | April 13th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Skylands needs its own blog! The warmth and emotion of the property is almost palpable when looking over the photos. I am doubly excited to see what freshness you bring to it this summer, your planters make me so happy!
Keep up your fantastic Skylands updates coming, they are a total source of inspiration for our outdoor space. In zone 3a we need all the inspiration we can get...
Posted by: R. | April 13th, 2010 at 10:52 am
My goodness, those pitchers are fantastic. What elegant designs. I hope you will give an update if you find out more about them. I have sort of an accidental collection of pitchers and would certainly latch on to any similar to these if I found them. Just beautiful.
Posted by: Jan | April 13th, 2010 at 11:44 am
Looks like you guys got "high" in picture 40. Maine will do that to you.
Posted by: Lin Valentine | April 13th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
This makes me long to get up to Maine to visit my sister. Where did you find those gorgeous tomatoes??? Maine must be a wonderful escape from the hubbub. Hope you can carve out time to get up there often this summer. Thanks for the photos----especially of the pups.
Posted by: Julie Dunham | April 13th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Can't wait to see and read the story about Skylands. Love the pitchers, they are just beautiful! What a collection. I have a small collection of pitchers but they are of floral designs. Please keep us informed on the pitchers when you find out about them, and I know you will. Thanks for the photo's.
Posted by: Libbygirl | April 13th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
I think we all agree that we, too, absolutely love Skylands! What I like about it is the vintage, first of all - the era in which it was built - I like that, and all the wonderful architectural qualities and details that accompany such an estate during it's time period. Second, THE FORD FAMILY LIVED THERE! How neat! (And) YOU HAVE MANY OF THEIR ORIGINAL BELONGINGS! Each time - whether it be on a TV segment, here on your blog, or in a magazine article, you reveal more and more to us that, to me, is simply awesome. I go away each and every time full of nostalgia in seeing how and where they lived and spent quality family time and what was important to them.
~
I have similar estates in my neighborhood, though not on such a grande scale, of wealthy and successful merchants from the early 1900's. My heart's desire is that they WON'T be forgotten as time goes by as new, more modern families eventually take them over. In their heydey, they were THE places in my town where aristocracy lived, and everyone knew each home one was the "so-and-so's" mansion.
~
Skylands is such a gem, Martha, and I KNOW that you value and treasure it with the obvious care that is shown and the careful planning that takes place when necessary projects arise! We'll all look forward to the next revelation with which you're teasing us! (hope it's soon! [giggle])
~
=^..^=
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | April 13th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
23-25 years ago, Fitz and Floyd did a product line of vegetables and fruit. I have the carrot in my home and eggplant dessert plates. I am wondering if the pitcher collection is from Fitz Floyd and that era?
May we have some info on the adorable glasses just below the pitchers?
Thank you for sharing this magnificent and very special place.
Warm Regards
Priscilla Wormwood
Posted by: Priscilla Wormwood | April 13th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Happy, happy, happy! I've been saying it for years about Martha. This woman makes people happy. Soon after my husband died I had to find work real fast because my dad had his first heart problem 3 weeks after my husband died so I moved in to look after my dad. I'm sure there are pitchers of the same design somewhere packed away. Yours are indeed beautiful. Looking forward to hearing more about the collection. RE: Spain. I would like to suggest a story using the cuisine of Spain for some of your platters. It would be so lovely especially with shots of Spain landscape. Monastery and cathedral visits are a must. Old Monastery of San Juan de la Pena (800-yrs) and the New Monastery of San Juan de la Pena (slightly younger!). Thanks Martha
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | April 13th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
#15 image could be tomatoe... the large and round common variety. Pomegranate sort of has the same configuation of the centre. Let us know! Thanks.
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | April 13th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Cute dog - Ladies protect yourself from criminals
Posted by: Stun Guns for Women | April 13th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Thanks for your show today about contacts for those of us with chaning vision. Any makrings on fruit pitcher collection? They do seem very similar to the many we can buy today at box stores here.
Posted by: ann | April 13th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Love the pictures. I have a pitcher identical to the bunch of grapes pitcher that you have. Someone gave it to me over 40 years ago at a bridal shower. I made the T-shirt necklace in 10 minutes. Thanks for such an easy and good looking craft idea!
Joan
Hilton New York
Posted by: joan vogt | April 13th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Hi Martha, What a fun blog! Your photos of your wonderful dogs were the best! All of you who went up to Skylands must have had a wonderful weekend. The photos certainly tell the story. Your photos of the fruit and vegetable pitchers were very charming. My dictionary said that majolica was a kind of enameled pottery richly decorated in colors made in Pennsylvania and Maryland. They could have also been made in Italy. No matter what, they are beautiful! The food looked like Kevin's photos and I'll bet it was delicious! Loved your tweets about going to the Yankee game with wonderful Jane. That's something I would love to do, also! Love, Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | April 13th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Thank you..really informative!!
Posted by: freesoft | April 14th, 2010 at 6:50 am
would not Fritz Karch be of some help in identifying the pitchers?? Also, would it not be far fetched to think Jens Jensen perhaps commissioned the special pottery by a local artist at the time -- was not the Skylands area a artists enclave back then??
Posted by: kathleen | April 14th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I just love all those pichters. what an unbelievable collection
Posted by: nancy damaini | April 14th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
My husband and I love Maine. I really enjoy seeing photos from Skylands it is so beautiful. We are hoping to get to Bar Harbor this June for a quick vacation. We are photographers and the summer months are very busy for us with weddings.
Thank you for sharing
Posted by: Julie | April 15th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Skylands truly does look beautiful. Like another, I also believe those pictures are about 25-30 years old. In fact, I recall seeing some like those in the 1970s, and was told they were made in a ceramics class. I am not sure it was a commercial line.
Posted by: Chuck | April 15th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
What a great view! It made me want to move over there. I heard Maine is quite humid. Is it true?
Posted by: Anne | April 15th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Love it! We could be friends in an imaginery world. We have the similar likes and backgrounds...age, Polish, divorced, New England roots, CT and New York living experiences and love of Maine!...except I'm not a successful business woman...Thanks for sharing via radio/TV/photos!
Posted by: meredith | April 15th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Martha I have both pitchers and teapots like yours, lemon and oranges, They are stamped Portugal on the bottom, I have had them for 20 yrs I guess, love them. Can't wait to see the story on them! You always come up with the greatest things, guess that's why I've followed you since the first story in Yankee magazine!
Posted by: Wendy | April 15th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Reminds me of the Isles of Sky in Scotland.
Posted by: Judy Stevens | April 17th, 2010 at 8:16 am
I love your blog about your home in Maine. I've always wanted to visit that state but haven't had a chance yet. Your posts and beautiful photos give me a glance at the state.
Posted by: Oneida | April 29th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Love all the great pictures! I love the fruit and vegetable pitchers. I am not sure about yours, but I have the lemon, as well as, a peach, asparagus, and eggplant. The asparagus and eggplant were made by the Fitz & Floyd company. The others I just found at random stores in the 90's. I also have a large collection of tiny (2") fruit and veggie teapots. They are adorable.
Thanks for your great blog.
Posted by: Lynnette Wilkinson | May 29th, 2010 at 10:55 am
loved the view ur so lucky
Posted by: Alia | June 26th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Hello!
I just stumbled across this by accident and have no link whatsoever to Maine, etc, however I love the ceramic jugs you have in your pictures and I instantly recognised them. They are by a very famous Portuguese factory that is extremely well known in Portugal in Calda das Rainhas, owned by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. If you would like to know more, you are welcome to contact me
(I lived in Portugal for a number of years and love Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro's work)
Posted by: Jason | August 14th, 2010 at 7:04 am
Hi Martha, beautiful photos of the island. Thanks for posting them. I miss working for you in that amazing beautiful home! I use to love going into your laundry room and ironing all those old napkins and looking out the big beautiful windows on rainy days. Mount Desert Island is my most favorite place too. I bought a home in Town Hill and I have been working on it for about a year. I could really use your help!!!! haha, I know your busy but I am now 31 and the single mother of a 2 year old. I am still lobster fishing and maine shrimp fishing. Thanks for posting our island and your photos!
Posted by: Holly Masterson | September 20th, 2011 at 1:49 pm