| This page covers Tour 1
which includes the Gate House, the Original House, and the Infinity Room.
The first thing you notice is the music. Not music played through speakers,
but by an automated collection of real instruments. This is your
introduction to the musical automata, a theme which continues. This is
definitely a step up in complexity from the early music box methods of
automated instruments. |
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You also notice that the lighting is low (as are the ceilings!) What there
is comes from the extensive collection of Bauer and Coble lamps. Not
everybody's style but another example of the eclectic style of the
collections here. |
| It was originally
intended to be a home even if it was designed as a retreat. So it does have
a kitchen which, whilst it would be viewed as dated today, would have once
been 'state of the art'. |  |
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But as soon as you move on to the next room, you have another collection of
automated musical instruments. This one is partially concealed in a hole in
the wall surrounded by an ornate gothic frame. |
| It brings you to the
Infinity room, for which the House on the Rock is world famous. This unique
14th room of the house opened in 1985 and reaches out 218ft over the Wyoming
Valley floor 156 ft below. It tapers to a point (Infinity) and the walls
contain 3264 individual windows (not double glazed!) |  |
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You can walk out into the room and almost to the end. The last bit just
tapers to a point, so the last point you can walk to has a window looking
straight down at the forest floor below. At this point you are about 200 ft
out from the pivot. We were on our own but in peak summer there could be
over 300 people in this room which is a bit scary. |
| Features leading to the
infinity point include these benches which also taper to a point,
accentuating the effect.. |  |
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It really epitomises the whole attraction which should be viewed as a piece
of art rather than a museum housing collections. |
| I'm not sure how this
could ever have been realistic as a house to live in, but then I am neither
an architect nor an artist. I suppose I am just a heathen, like 98% of the
other visitors. There are lots of points of detail, like the fireplace and
the bellows, almost practical.... |  |
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Some of the areas are quite artistic, but I'm not sure I would give up over
half of a room for an oriental garden. This is a couple of feet above ground
level??? |
| Now this I could
understand. I love books and I'm told these are all rare volumes. As such it
would be out of place as a work of art. My library is much more mundane, but
larger. Each book individually is a work of art to me. |  |
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When I think of art, I suppose this is more what I think of. There are many
oriental pieces in the house and I think Alex Jordan must have travelled
extensively in the Orient. |
| Further evidence is
offered by this Chinese black lacquered cabinet, of which there were several
examples, intricately inlaid with mother of pearl. A bitch to photograph
though. |  |
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Another lamp and one of the many bronze statues found everywhere. These came
from a multitude of traditions, with oriental, medieval and western subjects
all in evidence. |
| One of the more
spectacular lamps, stood on a table which was itself illuminated.
However I found the dim overall lighting rather frustrating as it affected
my ability to see things properly, however artistic it may have been
intended to be. |  |
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What windows there were were very small or more often contained stained
glass. Very attractive but I would have preferred to see where I was going,
particularly since many of the corridors between rooms are very narrow. |
| There is a sundeck on the
roof with views over the valley. It was snowing at the time which limited my
desire to ponder the beauty of the views. I am however going to offer a
prize for anyone who can tell me what this is and what it was doing on the
roof! |  |
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This is the roof of the Infinity room. It too disappears to a point. |
| Combining the bronze
statues and the oriental aspects of the collections is this Chinese lion
which actually looks better under flash than it did in real life.. |  |
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There are seating places for one to sit and ponder the marvels of the
architecture and style set out for you edification. But this is also an
example of the narrowness of the passageways. |
| This bellows was just
positioned as a coffee table with millefiori paperweights laid on the top. I
can't remember if there was a glass top above them or not, but it wouldn't
have been much good as a coffee table without. |  |
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A more traditional music automata is this metal plate with pegs. It wasn't
playing at the time but this looked more like the control for a
sophisticated music box. |
| So if you are going to
collect weapons.... I've never seen so many barrels on a gun of any sort.
But then most of the collections in this attraction are just slightly
bizarre. On the other hand, if at first you don't succeed..... |  |
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This too is just to whet your appetite. Medieval suits of armour in your
living room! And this is just the house..... |
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