The Nickerson Series: William August Fiedler

The Nickerson Series was initially established as a lecture series that aimed to situate the Driehaus Museum and the historic Nickerson Mansion in the wider context of America’s Gilded Age culture and the design philosophies of the period. That intention is extended now to this blog series which brings you the story of the Nickerson Mansion as told through the eyes of the individuals who played the most significant roles in its creation and design, reflecting on the legacies they have left us.

Originally published on May 21, 2014
As Interior Designers of the Nickerson Mansion: William August Fiedler

“We strongly advocate the use of different styles in different rooms, to avoid the monotonous effect invariably produced by the fanatic apostles of the so-called Eastlake or Modern Gothic. For the same reasons it will be necessary for articles of luxury, as Easels. Hanging Shelves, Cabinets, etc., to use motifs from the Mooresque, Byzantine, Japanese, etc., though diametrically opposed to the prevailing style of the room.” – August Fiedler

The principal interior designer of the Nickerson Mansion was William August Fiedler. He was German, born in Elbing in 1842. Elbing is the German name of Elbląg, a city in northern Poland, which until 1945 was a German city in the province of East Prussia. August Fiedler, as he would later come to be known, studied architecture in his native country but immigrated to the United States in 1871. He worked as an architect in New York City for several years, but like many of his fellow countrymen, found his way to Chicago, taking advantage of the post Chicago Fire building boom. A perfectionist in his pursuit of quality, Fiedler began his career the way many architects of the period did–as an interior designer.

By 1877, he had his own furniture business, A. Fiedler and Company located at 24 - 26 Van Buren Street. An early ad describes the company as “Designers and Manufacturers of Artistic Furniture and Interior Decorations,” stating that “Where furniture is bought simply to fill a space, without regard to utility or comfort, ready-made furniture will answer, and we are out of the question. But where the furniture is required as an expression of the individuality of a person, and of an advanced taste, where it is indispensable to a refine home, where it is considered the key to harmonious surroundings, then ready-made furniture is out of the question...”.

As a decorator, Fieldler would leave behind a lasting legacy in the richly carved details of the Hegeler Carus Mansion in downstate LaSalle, Illinois, built between 1874-1876. The high finishes of his custom woodwork and furniture attracted the attention of Samuel Mayo Nickerson who hired him to design some of the rooms for his new home at 317 Erie Street in Chicago (now the Richard H. Driehaus Museum at 40 East Erie). While Burling and Whitehouse were the architects for the Nickerson’s home (built from 1879-1883), the elaborate interiors were the combined work of the highly skilled Chicago-based designers R. W. Bates & Co. and August Fiedler, along with some work by George A. Schastey & Co.

For his part, Fiedler accomplished some of his most elaborate interior design work for the Nickerson home. He designed the original wooden parquet floor patterns throughout the house, the railing of the Grand Staircase, much of the finishing work, some of the marble work, and most of the woodwork on the first floor, the Dining Room, and Mrs. Nickerson’s bedroom. Fiedler was highly regarded for his talent and designs—in fact, in a letter written by the young architect D. Davis, who was working as a craftsman on the Nickerson house, he stated “I have seen him work. He will do as much drawing in an hour as a pretty good ordinary draughtsman will do in five or six hours.“ Davis continued with further remarks about Fiedler’s position regarding the design of the house, stating “Burling is the architect of Nickerson’s house, but Fiedler was employed on the room finish, and even in marble work, Fiedler’s design for stair rail is taken in place of Burling’s. Even at the lower end of main stair the iron framework of flaring end of stringer and curb is being cut away to suit Fiedler’s changes."

Fiedler’s impeccable attention to the smallest elements of style shine. He created unique parquet flooring and architectural flourishes with such precision and beauty that he went bankrupt by not charging his wealthy clients enough to compensate for the quality work he produced.



Visitors to the Hegeler Carus Mansion will recognize many similarities between that home and the Nickerson’s Marble Palace. The hand turned columns and cornices of the two homes are reminiscent of each other as are the ornate carvings that surround the fireplaces. Fiedler’s innovative use of turned wood spindles, decorative mantels, parquet flooring, and wainscoting are common to both interiors.



August Fiedler began to design buildings not only here in Chicago, but around the Midwest. He completed the Germania Hall in 1888 along with fellow architect John Addison and built private homes in Blue Island and Milwaukee.

In 1893 when the World’s Fair drew the curious multitudes to the White City, one of the standout buildings was Fiedler’s Moorish Palace, patterned after the Alhambra of Spain. It was one of three pavilions Fiedler designed for the Colombian Exhibition.

Long time Chicagoans will remember Henrici’s Restaurant on Randolph Street, another Fiedler project. On the city’s Gold Coast, 1547 North Dearborn Parkway is another of his sumptuously detailed interiors replete with lavish woodcarvings in an 18,000 square foot city estate.

In 1893, Fiedler was named the first Chief Architect for the Chicago Board of Education. He supervised the construction of fifty-eight schools and designed many including Burley, Goethe, Eugene Field, and Pullman.

Fiedler was elected an Associate of the American Institute of Architects in 1887, and was made Fellow in 1889. He died in Chicago in 1903.

Sources:
A. Fiedler and L. W. Murray, Artistic Furnishing and House Decoration, (C. H. Blakely & Co., printers, 1877) http://chicagohistoricschools.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/william-august-fiedler/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Burnhamandroot/Sandbox

Image credits (from top to bottom):
Detail of the Dining Room, Nickerson Mansion, Chicago. Photograph by John Faier, 2013. 
Portrait of William August Fielder via Wikimedia Commons. Image Courtesy of Burnhamandroot.
Detail of the Grand Staircase, Nickerson Mansion, Chicago. Photograph by Steve Hall of Heidrich Blessing, 2008.
Detail of parquet flooring, Nickerson Mansion, Chicago. Photograph by Steve Hall of Heidrich Blessing, 2008.  
First floor, reception room, southwest corner parquet, Hegeler Carus Mansion,  LaSalle, IL via Wikimedia Commons. Photograph by Robert Shymanski, 2008.
The Moorish Palace, designed by August Fiedler, at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. via Wikimedia Commons. Photograph by Jewell Halligan, 1894.