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The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters will be closed from 10:00am–1:00pm on December 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, and 14th for public school programming. The site will be open to the public with guided tours from 1:00pm–4:15pm. We apologize for any inconvenience.

In the three short years between his arrival from England in 1817 to his departure for Charleston in 1820, William Jay changed the face of Savannah. In a time when many Americans sought to distance themselves from European influence and develop a national character of their own, a few, including Richard Richardson, Alexander Telfair, William Scarbrough, and Archibald Stobo Bulloch, still sought the classical elegance of the popular English Regency style. Jay delivered the luxurious showplaces they desired and also elevated Savannah’s civic life with a new theater, a design for the Savannah Branch of the Second Bank of the United States, and a new Customs House.

Explore Jay’s life, travels, and most importantly his designs as we celebrate 200 years of William Jay architecture in Savannah.

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Gallery 1

Gallery 2

 


Unknown Artist, Alexander Telfair (1789-1832), c. 1830, Oil on canvas, Bequest of Mary Telfair, 1875.51


Rev. George Gibbons, 1888, From History of the First African Baptist Church, By E. K. Love (American, 1850-1900), Courtesy of Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries


Juddy Telfair Jackson, the Telfairs’ enslaved cook, with her granddaughter Lavinia, Mary Telfair’s enslaved maid, Courtesy of the Georgia Historical Society, 793-05-56-254A

Detlef Lienau (German, 1818-1887), Architectural Plans of the Telfair Mansion, now the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Savannah, GA, 1885, Plan of the First and Second Floors, Avery Architectural Fine Arts Library, Columbia University

Telfair Academy with scaffolding, 1885, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

“Telfair Academy,” 1888, Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Jan. 1888, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, c. 1888, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Engraved by James Thomson (British, 1788-1850), after a painting by William Etty (British, 1787-1849), Revd. William Jay, 1819, For European Magazine, Published by J. Asperne, London, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


Map of Bath, John Bartholomew & Son Ltd., On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Building designed by David Riddall Roper, Engraved by John Rolp (British, 1799-1862), Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd (British, 1792-1864), Haberdasher’s Alms Houses, Hoxton, ca. 1828, For Metropolitan Improvements or London in the Nineteenth Century by James Elmes (British, 1782-1862), Published by Jones & Co., London, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


Christopher William Hünneman (1755 – 1793), Portrait of John Soane, 1776, Courtesy of Sir John Soane’s Museum London

William Etty (British, 1787-1849), Portrait of William Jay, c.1815-1817, York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery)

Robert Buttery, South West View of the Albion Chapel, Moorgate, ca. 1816, Aquatint, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

William Jay, III (British, 1792-1837), Architectural sketch, c. 1818, Ink and pencil on paper, Gift of Charlton M. Theus and Will Theus Quaile in memory of their parents Will and Charlton Theus, 2000.13.4.a

Map of Savannah, 1818, Moss Eng. Co., NY, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

William Mason Smith House, Charleston, SC, ©Atlantic Archives


William Jay, III (British, 1792-1837), Front Elevation of Goal [sic], May 17, 1820, For Plans or Houses & Goals furnished the Board [of Public Works], Department of Public Works Records, South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina

William Jay, III (British, 1792-1837), Courthouse, front, Plan (a), May 17, 1820, For Plans or Houses & Goals furnished the Board [of Public Works], Department of Public Works Records, South Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina

Court House, Sumter, S.C., ca. 1905, Rotograph Co., NYC, Postcard, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


The Literary Salon, Cheltenham, 1826, By Jay del., Hobson sc., In Griffth’s New Historical Description of Cheltenham and Its Vicinity, Published by Samuel Young Griffith, London, steel engravers, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Engraved by Richard P. Nodder (active 1800-1813), The Dodo Bird, 1792, For The Naturalist’s Miscellany, or Coloured Figures of Natural Objects by George Shaw (British, 1751-1813), Published in London, Copper engraving, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


Drawn by Alan Clark, after a 19th century print, Entry gate of the central market, Pencil on paper, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Drawn and engraved by J&C Walker (John Walker, Alexander Walker, and Charles Walker), Map of Mauritius, April 1, 1835, For History of the British Colonies: Possessions in Africa and Australasia, Volume IV, By Robert Montgomery Martin (Irish, 1801-1868), Published by Cochrane and Co., Waterloo Place, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


Engraved by W. G. Mason after a drawing by Joshua Shaw, Georgia, Branch Bank of the United States, Savannah, 1823, Commercial Directory, Published by J. C. Kayser et al., Philadelphia, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Engraved by Fenner, Sears & Co. after a print by William Goodacre (American, active 1829-1835), Branch of the United States Bank, Savannah, 1831, Published in History and Topography of the United States, v. 2, edited by John Howard Hinton, Published by Boston: S. Walker, Tinted steel engraving on paper, Gift of Jane Davan Forbes, OT1960.14

J. and W. Ridgeway, Cauldon Place Works, Hanley, England, Sauce Tureen, Staffordshire pottery, from “beauties of America” series, a gravy tureen, dark blue transferware, border “Medallions of Rose and Leaf,” Transfer of William Jay’s Bank, c. 1823-30, Engraved by W. G. Mason after a drawing by Joshua Shaw in Commercial Directory published by J. C. Kayser et al., Philadelphia, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Marine Bank of Georgia, Confederate money featuring US Bank, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection


“Savannah’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, Governor Stephens Delivering the Oration,” February 24, 1883, Featuring inset of theater interior, del. Horace Bradley, Harper’s Weekly, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Savannah Theater façade, late 19th century, American Views, Popular Series, Stereoscopic photograph, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Inward Shipping Manifest, November 9, 1818, Entry of Merchandise, imported by R., Richardson & Co. In the Ship Cora, National Archives, Record Group 36 –Entry #1466

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American, 1902-1973), A William Jay Portico, c. 1947, Etching on paper, Gift of the Little House, OT1958.31

Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Richardson-Maxwell-Owen-Thomas House, 124 Abercorn Street, Savannah, Chatham County, GA, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

telfair photo chart, 6/4/11, 6:56 PM, 16C, 5718×7186 (191+146), 100%, Repro 2.2 v2, 1/20 s, R78.2, G14.7, B26.4

Unknown photographer, Owens-Thomas House, c. late 1880s, TA556.

Anthemion cornice piece, Cast Iron, Owens-Thomas House Balcony

Signature and Inscription of Builder, beneath the front portico of the Owens-Thomas House Reads: “John Retan Began Nov AD 1816 / Finished Jan AD 1819”

Original cast iron architectural fragment from the Scarbrough House, Cast Iron, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), William Scarborough [sic] House, 41 West Broad Street, Savannah, Chatham County, GA, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

George Mandus (1924-2012), William Scarbrough (1776-1838), 1975, Replica of miniature held at the Georgia Historical Society, Courtesy of Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Artist Unknown, Julia Bernard Scarbrough (1786-1851), c. early 19th century, 20 x 25 inches, Courtesy of Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Frances Benjamin Johnston (American, 1864-1952), Scarborough [sic] Mansion, West Broad Street, Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, ca. 1939-44, Photograph, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Div., Washington, D. C.

Former William Scarbrough House, present day Ships of the Sea Museum, Photograph, © Atlantic Archives, Inc./Richard Leo Johnson

Bench from the Scarbrough House, Cast Iron, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

First floor plan of the Scarbrough House, 1902, The Georgian Period, Part 12, Edited by W.R. Ware, New York, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

The Bulloch House Staircase, 1902, The Georgian Period, part 12, Edited by W.R. Ware, New York, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

The Bullock [sic] House – Portico, Orleans Square, Savannah, Ga., Jay, Architect, March 1907, Architectural Record, Photograph, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

First floor plan of the Bulloch House, 1902, The Georgian Period, Part 12, Edited by W. R. Ware, New York, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Pair of Ionic capitals of the Propylaea, Athens from the interior of the Bulloch House, Coade Stone, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Unknown Maker, Bulloch House, n.d., Watercolor on paper, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

The Bulloch House Staircase from The Georgian Period, part 12, edited by W.R. Ware in New York, 1902, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Unt Portico OT House (canna lillies), 1/9/08, 10:09 AM, 16C, 3734×5006 (358+684), 75%, Repro 2.2 v2, 1/20 s, R87.4, G24.3, B34.3

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American, 1902-1973), A William Jay Portico (Owens-Thomas House), c. 1947, Etching on paper, Gift of the Little House, OT1958.31

framed drawing b, 5/12/14, 3:44 PM, 16C, 4550×4664 (1449+1217), 100%, 1.8 darker hil, 1/20 s, R91.4, G30.7, B40.9

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American, 1902-1973), Untitled (Back of Owens-Thomas House from State Street), n.d., Etching on paper, Gift of Diane and Ervin Houston, 2014.1.2

Mary Comer Lane (American, 1881-1966), Meta Thomas’s Garden (Owens-Thomas House), c. 1920, Watercolor on paper, Acquisition made possible by the bequest of Myrtle Jones, 2007.18.2

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American 1902-1973), Untitled (Owens-Thomas House, Lafayette Balcony), n.d., Pencil on vellum, NN.442

Museum Clausum (Klaus Wehner, German, B. 1957), Owens-Thomas House, Telfair Museums Savannah, Georgia 10 April 2015, 11:38 am, 2015, Giclée print, Gift of the artist, 2017.10.1

Margaret Gray Thomas (last owner of the Owens-Thomas House), (American, 1871-1951), Rear Garden of the Owens-Thomas House, by 1951, Oil on canvas board, Gift of Mrs. Anna C. Hunter, 1963.3

Jack Leigh (American, 1948-2004), Owens-Thomas House, 1998, Gelatin silver print, Gift of the artist, 2009.5

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American, 1902-1973), Untitled (Owens-Thomas House south Façade), On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American 1902-1973), Untitled (south façade of Telfair Academy), c. 1927, Graphite on paper, Gift of John and Virginia Duncan, 2013.10.3

drawing unsigned, 5/12/14, 2:57 PM, 16C, 6000×7438 (0+10), 100%, 1.8 darker hil, 1/25 s, R91.4, G30.7, B40.9

Unknown Maker, Untitled (Telfair façade), n.d., Pencil on paper, On loan from V & J Duncan Collection

Unt Telfair Facade TH, 1/11/08, 12:13 PM, 16C, 1496×1218 (0+401), 25%, Repro 2.2 v2, 1/25 s, R84.1, G21.6, B31.3

Christopher A.D. Murphy (American, 1902-1973), Untitled (Telfair Façade), by 1973, Drypoint on paper, Gift of Eudora DeR. Roebling, 1993.1.1

Louise Yancy (American, B. 1946), Telfair Front Façade, c. 1979, Offset print with markers, Study Collection, TA293

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PO Box 10081
Savannah, GA 31412
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