Collection Corner. It’s Zuber!
Visitors who tour the Fuller E. Callaway family home frequently comment on how they enjoy seeing the working areas of the home, especially the Butler’s Pantry and Kitchen. Another service area that captures the attention of our guests is the Rear Stair Hall. This service hall connects the Butler’s Pantry, Flower Room, Basement Stairs, Service Stairs and Porte Cochere entrance. While this hallway is mostly used for service, it is still one of the most beautiful areas in the house. Alice Callaway hired Sarah King Small, an Atlanta interior decorator, to redo this hallway in 1948. According to a surviving letter from Ms. Small to Alice;
“In the stair hall left of the north entrance, I want to use the ‘Views of Sicily’ (wallpaper)…it will lend dignity to the hall so frequently used to enter the living hall.”
We have recently discovered that the scenic wallpaper selected by Ms. Small is actually wood block printed wallpaper that was made by Zuber, a well known French company, which has been in continuous operation since 1797. According to Zuber, ‘Scenes Sicilienne’ was designed by Madame Ehny-Vogler and was first produced in 1931. It seems so appropriate that images of Sicily grace the walls of this home since Neel Reid based the overall design of the home on an Italian villa theme.
