Fabbri-Steele Mansion - New York City (Wurts Bros., c.1900)
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Ernesto and Edith Fabbri Residence
Charles Steele Residence

11 East 62nd Street
New York, N.Y. 10021








In 1900, Margaret Vanderbilt Shephard, daughter of William Henry Vanderbilt and granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, built two double-width houses for her two daughters, Maria and Edith. For Maria and her husband William Schieffelin, who was in the pharmaceutical business, a house was built at 5 East 66th Street; and as a wedding present for Edith and her husband Ernesto Fabbri, head of the Society of Italian Immigrants, this townhouse was built at 11 East 62nd Street.

Known today as the Fabbri-Steele Mansion, the townhouse is one of the most exuberant Beaux-Arts style houses in New York City. It was designed by the firm of Haydel & Shepard, chosen perhaps because the latter partner, August Dennis Shepard Jr., was a cousin of Edith. The original plans show that the 45½-foot-wide house had 22,500 square feet and included a 25-by-41 foot mahogany paneled dining room, gentlemen's and ladies' reception rooms, an ornate ballroom, seven principal bedrooms, and nine servants' bedrooms. The sweeping staircase leading to the second floor featured a banister which supports a pair of Louis XIV-style bronze candelabra with cupids nearly six feet high.

Edith Shephard and Ernesto Fabbri  
Edith Shephard and Ernesto Fabbri  
Despite the opulence of their French townhouse, the Fabbris spent much time abroad and by 1911 had moved to Paris. In 1912, their New York townhouse was sold to Charles Steele. In 1914, perhaps because of the outbreak of war in Europe, the Fabbris returned to the United States and began to plan and build a new residence (this time in the Italian style) at 7 East 95th Street. Their second New York residence also included an Aeolian Organ (Op. 1398) that has two manuals and 17 ranks, plus a Duo-Art player in the console. For details on the Aeolian organ at 7 East 95th Street, see House of the Redeemer.

The second owners of the Fabbri townhouse were Charles Steele and his wife, Nannie. Charles Steele (1856-1939) was a partner at J. P. Morgan & Company, and a partner in the law firm of Seward, Guthrie & Steele. He was also involved in the affairs of the Metropolitan Opera and the Protestant Episcopal Church of America, and served as senior warden of both St. Thomas Church, New York City, and the Church of the Advent, Westbury, N.Y. A great lover of church music, Mr. Steele studied organ with Dr. T. Tertius Noble at St. Thomas, and in 1922 he contributed $200,000 for the purchase of two houses so that the choir school could have a permanent home. Three years later, in 1925, Steele contributed another $300,000 to endow the choir school. Charles and Nannie Steele also maintained a home in Westbury, N.Y., where an Aeolian organ (Op. 1126) was installed in 1910; this organ was later removed by Ernest M. Skinner and installed in the Church of the Advent in Westbury. Charles Steele died on August 5, 1939, at the age of 83, leaving an estate valued at over $30 million. His funeral was held on August 7 at St. Thomas Church, conducted by the Rt. Rev. Ernest M. Stires, Bishop of Long Island and former rector of St. Thomas Church. At Mr. Steele's request, Dr. Noble was flown from Santa Monica, Calif., to play the organ and direct the boy choir for his funeral.

In 1941, the townhouse was taken in foreclosure by the Bowery Savings Bank. It was purchased in 1943 by the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation, known for its aptitude testing. In 2001, the Japanese government bought the townhouse for $21.5 million.
           
  Aeolian Organ, Op. 871 (1899) in the Fabbri-Steele Mansion - New York City
Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 871 (1899)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 17 ranks









The Music Room on the second floor of the Fabbri townhouse featured a two-manual-and-pedal Aeolian Organ, Op. 871, which was installed in 1899 at a cost of $7,500. At the time, Aeolian was not yet building their own organs; this organ was actually built by the Votey Organ Company of Detroit. The pipe screen and attached console were located at one end of the Music Room, while the Aeolienne roll player was against the wall at the left. On the third floor was the chamber for the Echo Organ. This organ is extant but was removed in 2001 by Meloni & Farrier Organbuilders. As of 2013 it was in storage awaiting restoration and future placement.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Open Diapason
61
4
  Flute Harmonique, treble
49
8
  Viol di Gamba
61
4
  Flute Harmonique, bass
12
8
  Dulciana
61
8
   Trumpet, treble
49
8
  Gross Flute
61
8
  Trumpet, bass
12

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Rohrflöte, treble
49
4
  Violino
61
8
  Rohrflöte, bass
12
8
   Orchestral Oboe, treble
49
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
61
8
   Orchestral Oboe, bass
12
8
  Dolcissimo
61
     Tremolo  
8
  Unda Maris
61
        
               
Echo Organ (floating) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Fern Flute
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
4
   Salicet
61
     Tremolo  

     

     
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
  Contra Bass
30
8
  Violoncello
30
               
Console of Aeolian Organ, Op. 871 (1899) in the Fabbri-Steele Mansion - New York City   Console of Aeolian Organ, Op. 871 (1899) in the Fabbri-Steele Mansion - New York City
           
Sources:
     Cardwell, Diane. "Rigorous Life For Boys With Golden Throats," The New York Times (Feb. 2, 2002).
     "Charles Steele Gives Choir School $300,000; Spent $200,000 on St. Thomas Church Music," The New York Times (Aug. 13, 1925).
     "Chas. Steele Dies; Morgan Partner," The New York Times (Aug. 6, 1939).
     Gray, Christopher. "Streetscapes / 11 East 62d Street; A 1900 Double-Width Mansion, Miraculously Intact," The New York Times (Feb. 7, 1999).
     Meloni & Farrier Organbuilders web site: http://www.meloniandfarrier.com
     New York Architecture Imges web site: http://www.nyc-architecture.com
     "Notables Attend Steele Services," The New York Times (Aug. 8, 1939).
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Gregory Gilmartin and John Massengale. New York 1900: Metropolitan Architecture and Urbanism 1890–1915. New York City: Rizzoli International Publications, 1983.

Illustrations:
     Lewis, James. B&W photo of Aeolian Company organ, Op. 871 (1899) and Music Room.
     Meloni & Farrier Organbuilders web site. Color photos of Aeolian Company organ, Op. 871 (1899).
     Rootsweb web site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Portrait of Edith Shephard and Ernesto Fabbri.
     Wurts Bros. (New York, N.Y.). Photo (c.1900) of exterior. Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.