4 December 2023

Just real estate photos but it’s petty special. The Lippincott house was built in 1917, and is nothing like the late Edwardian houses of the era – in fact it looks rather 70s ! It was built for Roy Lippincott, who was an architect in the office of Walter and Marion Griffin, and was married to Walter’s sister Genevieve, and they all came out together from Chicago in 1914, after winning the competition for the plan of Canberra. The house is on the Glenard Estate in Eaglemont, the curving layout of which was an early projects of the Griffins – and they built their own (tiny) house next door a few years later. The Lippincott house was probably designed with input from Roy and Marion, and has typical Griffin features like the criss-cross windows and the deep gable that leans forward. I must admit I don’t like the front, it’s a bit top heavy and rather flat. The plan is a bit odd too, with rooms opening into each other, and one upstairs bedroom accessed only through the other. But I’m sure Lippincotts lived a different way. And lots of lovely woodwork and brick inside, and a fantastic expressionist fireplace. The Lippincotts didn’t stay long, moving to NZ in 1922, and in 1939 it was bought by artist Murray Griffin (no relation), and then stayed in the family for three generations before being sold a week ago. It’s safely on the Victorian Heritage Register.

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