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| 14th century suit of armor |
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| 13th century Italian table in the atrium |
I took a vacation day yesterday (Thursday, August 8) to join friends from the Zion Womans Club on a field trip to the Cuneo Mansion in Libertyville. (See this post for my memories from a childhood trip to the property.)
Our private tour was led by an excellent docent. The mansion was built by Samuel Insull, who brought electricity to Lake County (and a lot of other places). It is in the style of an Italian villa, with a light-filled three-story atrium. Insull's landholdings, continguous to the mansion, were over 4000 acres. He went bust in the Depression (see here -- an excellent example of why we should diversify our holdings). John Cuneo, Sr., bought the property. From all accounts, the Cuneos were an unconflicted, *very* rich family. (Mr. Cuneo was a printer whose clients included, among others, Sears Roebuck and Hearst Magazines.) The Cuneos lived/farmed/enjoyed the propertyuntil 1991, when the family foundation opened it to the public. The foundation gave it to Loyola University in 2010--a gift valued at $50 million.
The special exhibit this summer featured the Cuneo ladies' clothing by Chicago designer Martha Weathered. Timeless and classic!
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| Powder room -- with real gold in the wallpaper |
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| Cuneo-printed books in the library (3000 vols.) |
That looks like an interesting place to visit. I love classic homes with a bit of history. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us. Have a super day!
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