" We're visiting at winter tour an American country estate formerly the home of Henry Francis DuPont. And for the last fifty years a museum of American decorative arts we have lots to see here but today were going to be focusing on the port royal entrance and the port royal. Parlor our hostess and guide will be Pauline -- let's go in the front door. Pauline a most impressive. And center entry colonial if ever there was one."

" Well if I want to throw it museum with a family home it was one of the great country estate. Of America and they entertained almost every weekend and this is how you would have been received you would have walked in doors would have been hoping he would have seen the garden which was Henry Francis deprive du Pont's pride and joy. And -- would have been surrounded by these these really beautiful pieces of American furniture so it's a symphony."

" Yeah we're looking at as a museum but there was a time when windows and doors would have been open to the outdoors and the smells and the sounds of the garden were wafting through the house what a treat. And today of course it everything has to be climate control and securities -- are at certain."

" That's -- it's it's it's impossible to recreate that that. Atmosphere of home. But we still have you know we -- have reminders of -- for example. You'll notice that the tables in this room have marble tops. -- Pont chose those deliberately because he wanted a safe place for his guests to put their hats and coats on a rainy day exactly. And to keep gardeners filled with flowers. The whole room would have been filled with -- I'm. He loved flowers he was he was fascinated by color and so the flowers would have been very carefully chosen to coordinate with his. Really significant. Chinese wallpaper if they are very very special what what period and it. This is probably from the 3 quarter of the eighteenth century and it it it features very traditional Chinese designed chrysanthemum the birds the bamboo. Absolutely fabulous."

" The house that all of these architectural elements came from was in Philadelphia."

" It was it was a Philadelphia. Up country house is built right outside of Philadelphia it was called port royal he. And it was about to be torn down in the 1920s and so the Pont purchased the whole house. All of the architecture in it for 15000 dollars. And then he brought it to -- and he installed at the entrance hall here we're going to be going into the parlor and then there are other rooms that went into that also have architecture from port violence -- the wainscoting here that's beautiful. Cornice work this is all very typical. Of mid century. Architecture. Imitating the classical style that came over from Britain time."

" Fascinated by the concept of it just being the country house so that you. Come in this hall absolutely you are being welcomed by the hostess and then you walk into the parlor where your hostess would thank -- They actually lived in this room that's."

" Absolutely this is where they received their guests after you'd had your luggage whisked away in the entrance talking you coming here and you'd be thirteen. The other guests would be here you'd. You being expected to engage in scintillating conversation and admire your surroundings."

" And admire your surroundings indeed that it is the collection obviously is pretty impressive but. What's the time period that we're talking about them entertaining like that."

" I'll probably. Between the war is between about 1931. When the addition to the house was finished until about 1951. And became a museum."

" So it's an interesting time in American life. And this is an aristocratic setting and this is the right."

" This is very typical of the great country houses of of the United States during this time but he's not just -- sofas no they're not there they were owned by John Dickinson who you -- is an American Patriot Act. And what makes them really interesting is that their match that was that was very rare in -- early American cabinet making. To have two such lavish pieces mountain. Made the same. Color with very very important to Henry Francis DuPont and so this room as you can see is really a symphony of yellow. Different tones of gold on not all the same and yet it all comes together to work work perfectly. Someone once said that Henry Du Pont was like a conductor of music he might not knowing how to play each and every instrument but he blended them together exquisitely and I think this room is a good example that."

" Now this room is. Enormous and I'm used to colonial rooms not quite being this big."

" And they wouldn't have been in the colonial time Du Pont meant this to be his entertaining space and so he deliberately expanded the architecture from what it was in its original setting. And so he not only lengthened it but he widened it to create a room that would accommodate his family's his family's needs. So some of the millwork that we see you like you -- probably better reject the original but a lot of the detailing around the the cornice would have been added to expand it that's right and I know that there were hurt. Significant pieces. Aside from the cities there were brought into the collection here this is one of them that this is this is a really. Landmark piece of American furniture it was purchased by DuPont in 1929. At -- major sale of American furniture. And what made the sales so remarkable was that he was bidding against William Randolph Hearst. And his -- at a record for American furniture that lasted for many years he paid 44000. Dollars for this high chest in 1929. What makes that significant is that it really change the way people look at American decorative arts. They now stop thinking those kind of mementos of our glorious past but really it's optics we're collecting in their own right as art. So what an impact -- that yes absolutely terrific thanks for your welcome."