"The Oliver Messel Suite: Also The Salons Privés"
$500
Photographed by Norman Parkinson
[21] pp.
11 1/4" x 8"
w/ [10] pp Dorchester London brochure
Softcover/ Fine
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Sir Robert McAlpine, the owner of The Dorchester, commissioned Messel to design a luxury suite in which he himself would like to live, 'the rooms range from understated English country elegance to unabashed theatrical rococo with hand-painted silk-lined walls, gilded moldings and a bed festooned with dramatic silk swags and topped with golden acorn finials. The suite created such a sensation that Messel was retained to create two reception salons suitable for lavish entertaining, the Penthouse Suite and the Pavilion.' While many might think that was enough to be getting on with, the suite was such a triumph that Messel was enlisted to develop two reception salons suitable for lavish entertaining. The fabulous cherry on top was Messel's dramatic decoration on the facade of The Dorchester to celebrate the Queen's Coronation in 1953, 'The decorations were said to be the best in London.' All in all, one can only think of this as one terrific collaboration that was not only thrilling in its day but, seventy years on, still offers up escapism, inspiration and a great bit of camp luxury.