Architect Julian Francis Abele (1881-1950) was born in
Philadelphia and as part of the Trumbauer firm designed or
contributed to a large number of iconic architectural
masterpieces including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and
Duke University. He was the first African-American student to
graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's Department of
Architecture and worked for and with noted architect Horace
Trumbauer for many years. According to an article in the
Duke University Library website "Trumbauer instantly
recognized the talent of Julian Abele when he observed some
of Abele's student award winning drawings. Upon Abele's
graduation in 1902 as the first black student in architecture at
the University of Pennsylvania, Trumbauer financed further
study for him at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris. Abele
joined Trumbauer's firm in 1906, advancing to chief designer
in 1909. (citation)
"Although acknowledged as a premier builder of gilded age
palaces, often in the grand French style, for the wealthy in
Philadelphia, Newport and New York City, Horace Trumbauer
incredibly had no formal education having dropped out of
school at age sixteen. He learned the profession as an
apprentice draftsman and through voracious reading. When
he began his own firm in 1890, he hired exceptionally qualified
personnel, held them to very high standards, and paid them
handsomely if they could work together. Extremely self
conscious about his lack of education, he deliberately sought
anonymity preferring to work one-on-one with his wealthy
clients relying on their recommendations for commissions."
(citation)
Philadelphia and as part of the Trumbauer firm designed or
contributed to a large number of iconic architectural
masterpieces including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and
Duke University. He was the first African-American student to
graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's Department of
Architecture and worked for and with noted architect Horace
Trumbauer for many years. According to an article in the
Duke University Library website "Trumbauer instantly
recognized the talent of Julian Abele when he observed some
of Abele's student award winning drawings. Upon Abele's
graduation in 1902 as the first black student in architecture at
the University of Pennsylvania, Trumbauer financed further
study for him at the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris. Abele
joined Trumbauer's firm in 1906, advancing to chief designer
in 1909. (citation)
"Although acknowledged as a premier builder of gilded age
palaces, often in the grand French style, for the wealthy in
Philadelphia, Newport and New York City, Horace Trumbauer
incredibly had no formal education having dropped out of
school at age sixteen. He learned the profession as an
apprentice draftsman and through voracious reading. When
he began his own firm in 1890, he hired exceptionally qualified
personnel, held them to very high standards, and paid them
handsomely if they could work together. Extremely self
conscious about his lack of education, he deliberately sought
anonymity preferring to work one-on-one with his wealthy
clients relying on their recommendations for commissions."
(citation)
The question is whether Abele had any role in the house commissioned by Edgar Scott? To date, Abele's
name has not been found on any of the architectural plans but some of the drawings appear to be done
in a different hand and there is speculation that they MAY be Abel's work.
Sandra L. Tatman, former executive director of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia writes on a Philadelphia
Architects and Buildings website
By March, 1906 Abele was back in Philadelphia and in the office of Horace Trumbauer. Initially he
assisted Trumbauer's then chief designer Frank Seeburger; but when Seeburger left the office in 1909,
Abele succeeded him as chief designer and retained that position until Trumbauer's death in 1938.
Among his first designs in the Trumbauer office, according to a now-missing volume of pay records, were
residences for Edgar Scott and Ida Silverman.
name has not been found on any of the architectural plans but some of the drawings appear to be done
in a different hand and there is speculation that they MAY be Abel's work.
Sandra L. Tatman, former executive director of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia writes on a Philadelphia
Architects and Buildings website
By March, 1906 Abele was back in Philadelphia and in the office of Horace Trumbauer. Initially he
assisted Trumbauer's then chief designer Frank Seeburger; but when Seeburger left the office in 1909,
Abele succeeded him as chief designer and retained that position until Trumbauer's death in 1938.
Among his first designs in the Trumbauer office, according to a now-missing volume of pay records, were
residences for Edgar Scott and Ida Silverman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Abele
Abele is buried across Springfield Road from Woodburne at Eden Cemetery