strickn Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 https://www.houstonpress.com/media/pdf/nixon_meyerland-sept11.pdf contains the extensive brunch documentation have you ever found any photos of the demolished Blaffer home at 2 Briarwood? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 3 hours ago, strickn said: https://www.houstonpress.com/media/pdf/nixon_meyerland-sept11.pdf contains the extensive brunch documentation have you ever found any photos of the demolished Blaffer home at 2 Briarwood? I couldn't find any pictures, but the property is now owned by Charles Duncan. Traipsing through the property records for folks like the Blaffers is interesting. They owned a lot of stuff in Houston. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted September 5, 2023 Share Posted September 5, 2023 20 hours ago, Ross said: I couldn't find any pictures, but the property is now owned by Charles Duncan. Presumably his wife Anne, since he passed away a couple of years ago and she is listed as co-owner of the property. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 Found the demolished home! Designed by Kenneth Franzheim! Camilla Davis Blaffer, a member of the prominent Dallas family, was Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wellesley College and the other of five children. Joan Johnson remembers, “When I was little, they'd have weekly dinner parties. A regular attendee, David Moncried would bring his delicious additions to the dinner. Velma Jefferson was our regular cook but when family or friends came to Houston, we entertained with Southern hospitality.” Kenneth Franzheim drew the plans for 2 Briarwood Court as a wedding gift to John and Camilla. Franzheim is best known for designing nonresidential buddings like Foley's and the Humble Building. Below is a Humble Oil Christmas gathering; Sarah Campbell Blaffer is in sunglasses. And other guests include Libbie Rice Farish, Ginny Rotan, John Blaffer, Lula Campbell, W.T. Campbell, Margaret Elkins, Oga Wiess, and Effie Hunt. (Both courtesy of Joan Blaffer-Johnson) Alfred C. Glassell (left) and John H. Blaffer (right) attended the 1959 Roman toga party given for Joanne King (Herring) on her 30th birthday. Life magazine as well as Houston media covered the event. Joanne Herring commented, “So much has been made abut this party, but actually there was only 50 guests, and it was tame, not what the media coverage would lead you to believe.” Everyone in attendance wore Roman customs and a few of the 50 guests included Anne and W. Browne Baker III, Jane and Robert Mosbacher, Suzanne and Frank Nelms, Sandra Whitney Payson, and Claude and Jake Williams, the Kress-heirs. Joan Blaffer Johnson recalls, “My father was a very strong man and when you were with him you felt very safe. This picture makes me happy o see such good friends toasting each other.” Above picture of 2 Briarwood Court, home of John and Camila Blaffer (both courtesy of Joan Blaffer-Johnson) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 Aha! Can see on the last image exactly where the stair rises in the foyer. Very nice foyer design for 1940 which is their wedding year. Thanks! That was a radically modern facade treatment for prewar Houston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 Stephen Fox: "The Camilla Davis and John H. Blaffer House was built in 1949 or ’50, not in 1940. It was next door to Philip Johnson’s Menil House. The Blaffers’ serpentine brick wall along San Felipe Road is still in place." indeed it is https://www.google.com/maps/place/3345+San+Felipe+St,+Houston,+TX+77019/@29.7477719,-95.4282155,3a,75y,269.72h,90t/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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