Any Architecture/History Buffs That Might Help Me?

[Emiliano]

Im writing a tour for my job about a neighborhood in Brooklyn known as Lefferts Manor. I was walking around today and noticed a certain architectural detail that kept popping up over and over again on the outside of many of the homes in that neighborhood.

I tried googling it, finding what the Lefferts family crest was, or the crest of the Netherlands (where the Lefferts family originated from), but I cant seem to figure it out on my own. I dont know if its just a design or if its related to the family/country of origin. Just to put it out there, maybe one of you guys happen to know.

I dont know why I didnt take a photo of it... but it basically is like a crest, with a flower on one part, it looks like a poppy maybe? And in the other part it looks like a fleur de lys or maybe a wheat bundle? Above the crest part, it is like a profile of a knight / knight's helmet.


It looks something like this quick and sloppy sketch i just made:



Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

[LJay]

Definitely looks like a family crest. One suggestion: New York Public Library.

[Emiliano]

Definitely looks like a family crest. One suggestion: New York Public Library.

Ultimately that's what I need to do. Take a photograph and take it to the Brooklyn Historical Society or the Brooklyn Public Library (NYPL is just Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island).

I was just looking for an easy fix from you guys
And it was so common that I thought it might just be some sort of architectural element / design. But I think you're right, it must be related to some family.... but if not the Lefferts, then who?

Anyway, thanks for your time!

[LJay]

Good question. Maybe something from the developer of the area?

I'm library fanatic. I think our public library system is the country's most underused free entertainment resource.

Let us all know what you find.

[Insertnamehere]

Looks like a family crest.

The family, that apparently build the entire neighborhood, came from Netherlands and around 1660. At that time "Netherlands" included current Netherlands, Belgium and some other territories. If it's indeed the Fleur-de-lys, it wouldn't be that crazy because Flanders (currently in Belgium, at that time part of the "greater" Netherlands) used to be French for sometime. But it's a symbol of French Royalty and their relatives, so this is no simple family if that's the case. Why would the Lefferts emigrate if they were related to French Royalty?

The poppy is English, if I'm not mistaken.

We could use a picture Emil.

And [MENTION=21405]meridannight[/MENTION]'s opinion

[Emiliano]

Looks like a family crest.

The family, that apparently build the entire neighborhood, came from Netherlands and around 1660. At that time "Netherlands" included current Netherlands, Belgium and some other territories. If it's indeed the Fleur-de-lys, it wouldn't be that crazy because Flanders (currently in Belgium, at that time part of the "greater" Netherlands) used to be French for sometime. But it's a symbol of French Royalty and their relatives, so this is no simple family if that's the case. Why would the Lefferts emigrate if they were related to French Royalty?

The poppy is English, if I'm not mistaken.

We could use a picture Emil.

And [MENTION=21405]meridannight[/MENTION]'s opinion

Yeah the land is on what used to be the Lefferts' farm until they decided there was more money is real estate than farming at the turn of the century in Brooklyn. They were super influential in the development of Brooklyn and parts of its transit network. I have it in my notes that they were originally from Overijssel in the Netherlands, I looked at the crest for that too... I mean maybe its not a Fleur de Lys or a poppy. It could be a bundle of hay, since they were farmers, maybe that makes more sense. But again when I looked up the Lefferts' (and the Hagewout) family crest, its different from what I was seeing today on the homes.

I did some google street viewing and once I got the address I searched that. Apparently the homes were designed in a "neo-Georgian" style by the architects Slee and Bryson in 1925. Apparently they did several other homes in the neighborhood too... so maybe it was just the choice of the architects to add some Englishly style looking elements.. that explains the lack of a clear Dutch influence in the crest though.

I mean you cant see the crest that well in this pic, but this is the house:

[LONDONER]

Maybe not exactly the information you are looking for Emiliano but these might prove of interest:

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2010/12/...t-the-l-3/

The Coat of Arms shown here has a slighht resemplance to your sketch, it has fleur de lis and what looks like a tree but what "Abadia" means I have no idea.

http://www.amazon.com/Lefferts-Print-Fam...B006F389NQ

[Emiliano]

Maybe not exactly the information you are looking for Emiliano but these might prove of interest:

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2010/12/...t-the-l-3/

The Coat of Arms shown here has a slighht resemplance to your sketch, it has fleur de lis and what looks like a tree but what "Abadia" means I have no idea.

http://www.amazon.com/Lefferts-Print-Fam...B006F389NQ

Thanks for looking out, Londoner. It is similar, but theres also a lot of differences. This crest was very simple.

I think what I'll do the first time Im running this tour is just point them out and ask the tour takers if anyone knows what it is. The kind of people who take these walking tours tend to be pretty knowledgeable. If they cant help, then after the first tour, I'll have time to take it to the BHS or the library and see if they can help.

I have sort of a weird obsession with it now!

[Genersis]

Huh. You seem to know about as much as I do from just looking at it.

Doing a little looking around, it reminds me somewhat of St Lucia's coat of arms.


Obviously, it's not the same coat of arms. But cool enough to be worth sharing...

This look anything like it?

The family had one descendent in Brooklyn.
According to this site.

Hmm, seems I spent so much time looking at these coats of arms that I forgot what the original sketch looked like.
Meh, I'm not having much luck.

[starlight]

Im writing a tour for my job about a neighborhood in Brooklyn known as Lefferts Manor. I was walking around today and noticed a certain architectural detail that kept popping up over and over again on the outside of many of the homes in that neighborhood.

I tried googling it, finding what the Lefferts family crest was, or the crest of the Netherlands (where the Lefferts family originated from), but I cant seem to figure it out on my own. I dont know if its just a design or if its related to the family/country of origin. Just to put it out there, maybe one of you guys happen to know.

I dont know why I didnt take a photo of it... but it basically is like a crest, with a flower on one part, it looks like a poppy maybe? And in the other part it looks like a fleur de lys or maybe a wheat bundle? Above the crest part, it is like a profile of a knight / knight's helmet.


It looks something like this quick and sloppy sketch i just made:



Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

If the flower looks like or could be a poppy maybe it could have something to do with the County of Flanders which is and was apart of the Lowlands in Northern Europe.