The Finger Bowl is one of Grey Towers most unique elements. A placard reads:
This outdoor dining pool was the inspired idea of Cornelia Pinchot. She worked closely with NY architect William Lawrence Bottomley in the early 1930's to design an intimate social setting for discussing the topics of the times. Politicians, authors, and conservationists joined the family around the rim of the pool. It's Italian influence, the canopy of Wisteria and grape vines, and the movement of the floating food contributed to stimulating conversation. Naomi Nover, a guest of the Pinchots, described a luncheon served here on July 4, 1942, "The food was brought out by the butlers and place on trays on thick balsa wood rafts. All the food floated. There were several floating rafts on the water going from person to person with the food. One was filled with delicious slices of beef, beautifully garnished. Another raft had a tray filled with vegetables- peas, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, lima beans, tomatoes, exquisitely arranged in groups.Another was filled with cut-up fruit- orange sections, grapefruit, grapes, kumquats, pears, apples, cherries with a center mound of whipped cream."
Some of you had seen Laraine's shot and wondered what it looked like at large. This should give you a good idea!
wow, i love learning interesting things like this. i can't IMAGINE how they were able to control the floating (other than by keeping it close to the rim of course), but i imagine it more whimsical... "may i have an apple... please blow it down my way" haha. this should be re-created in today's times! great story and tribute!
@olivetreeann Wow, that's certainly quite interesting. It has such a wonderful colour and the water is so clear. I also am intrigued to know how they control where the platters float to. Or is there a simple method of anchoring them to the edge? Thanks for sharing this, Ann.
Thank you all and apologies for my slow response. A busy week and a slow-drying wood floor are wreaking havoc on my organized world! I appreciate your faithful comments and views!
@moreyoulessme@salza The photographs make this look a little larger than it actually is. The floating food was just given a gentle push and it reached the other side in no time. I don't think it was much different than sitting at a dinner table and saying "Please pass the vegetables" and watching the platter get passed from person to person until it reaches you. This method eliminated the middle man! The shelf where you see the fruit bowl allowed chairs to be pulled right up to the "table". The shade from the wisteria and vines cools the whole area to a delightful temperature. It must have been so nice to sit and dine there!
@eniaral Tag Beryl so she can see it. (Put here @ name in a comment box).
@salza Sally were you one of the folks who wanted to see the full shot of this?
Thank you all and apologies for my slow response. A busy week and a slow-drying wood floor are wreaking havoc on my organized world! I appreciate your faithful comments and views!
@moreyoulessme @salza The photographs make this look a little larger than it actually is. The floating food was just given a gentle push and it reached the other side in no time. I don't think it was much different than sitting at a dinner table and saying "Please pass the vegetables" and watching the platter get passed from person to person until it reaches you. This method eliminated the middle man! The shelf where you see the fruit bowl allowed chairs to be pulled right up to the "table". The shade from the wisteria and vines cools the whole area to a delightful temperature. It must have been so nice to sit and dine there!
@eniaral Tag Beryl so she can see it. (Put here @ name in a comment box).