Victoriana Lady & Joe Matteo At Stegmaier Mansion B&B Ribbon Cutting Ceremony January 14, 2010
Stegmaier Mansion B&B Owner Joe Matteo Is Presented With The Key To The City Of Wilkes-Barre, PA
Victoriana Lady Congratulating Joe Matteo
Dessert Reception Following The Ceremony
Beautiful Refreshment Table
Victoriana Lady In 1900 Dress At Stegmaier Mansion B&B Grand Opening
Victorian Homes Magazine Signing Barnes & Noble
Stegmaier Mansion B&B Tour Guide Victoriana Lady & Mansion Owner Joe Matteo
Victoriana Lady Lisa & Stegmaier Mansion B&B Owner Joe Matteo
Victoriana Lady & Artist Angela DeMuro
Stegmaier Mansion B&B Owner Joe Matteo Signing Victorian Homes Magazine For Fans
Stegmaier Mansion Gets National Recognition From Victorian Homes Magazine
Victorian Homes Magazine Stegmaier Mansion B&B Photo Shoot
Victorian Homes Magazine Photo Shoot Stegmaier Mansion B&B Foyer
Press Release
Wilkes-Barre, PA November 17, 2009
Stegmaier Mansion B&B Hosts Victorian Homes Magazine Photo Shoot By Victoriana Lady Lisa Lewis
The meticulously restored 1870 Victorian Stegmaier Mansion Bed & Breakfast was chosen by national magazine Victorian Homes to be a feature story in their upcoming issues.
Lights! Camera! Action! There was plenty of lights and action at the Stegmaier Mansion Bed & Breakfast recently as they hosted Victorian Homes magazine for a photo shoot. Renowned east coast field editors/photographers Franklin & Esther Schmidt were awed by the authentic restoration, a dream come true for owner Joe Matteo.
The photography team immediately set to work on this Victorian gem. With one room more amazing than the other, they had their work cut out for them. Their goal was to capture the beauty and magnificence of this over the top Victorian for all to enjoy, and they indeed succeeded!
The mansion, purchased by Joe Matteo in 2001, was a blank canvas. White walls & ceilings were everywhere, in fact it had been cut up into apartments since the late 1940’s. What Mr. Matteo has accomplished is nothing short of amazing. All who first walk into this living history jewel are utterly speechless. The array of intricate wall paper borders and designs, all originally designed by Joe himself, take one’s breath away. This is a place that must be seen to be fully appreciated.
The Stegmaier Mansion has the distinct honor of being chosen for not one, but two issues of Victorian Homes. According to the photographers, they took 50% more photos here than on any other shoot. The first feature will be in the new 2010 January issue on sale in late December. The following issue will also feature the mansion in all its glory, laden with antiques from floor to ceiling. Pure Victorian eye candy at its best!
An added distinction is Stegmaier tour guide and living history actress Victoriana Lady, dressed in authentic antique clothing.
For booking information on the news subject in this release, contactJoseph Matteo, Proprietor:
Victorian Homes Magazine Photo Shoot Stegmaier Mansion B&B Dining Room
Victorian Homes Magazine Photo Shoot Stegmaier Mansion B&B Gentleman's Parlor
Victorian Homes Magazine Photo Shoot Stegmaier Mansion B&B Library Ceiling
Stegmaier Mansion Gets National Recognition From Modern Bride Magazine
Stegmaier Mansion Bed and Breakfast Exterior Details
Statue At Stegmaier Mansion Garden
Stegmaier Mansion Victorian Parlor Where Modern Bride Photo Shoot Took Place
Stegmaier Mansion Bed & Breakfast Hosts Photo Shoot For Top Bridal Magazine
Published: Thursday, July 17, 2008 9:13 AM EDT
WILKES-BARRE — Joe Matteo’s meticulous restoration of the Frederick Stegmaier Mansion and bed and breakfast will receive national exposure.
Modern Bride magazine selected the mansion at 304 S. Franklin St. from three nominations throughout the country to be featured in the background of a 10-page photo spread in a Victorian edition to run in December or January. A crew did a photo shoot at the mansion Wednesday.
The mansion was recommended by former Edwardsville residents Maggie Asimakopoulos, a location scout, and Nancy Grigor, who created the location-scouting firm Hamptons Locations based in Amagansett, N.Y.
Their firm receives requests for backgrounds from various catalogs, major magazines and clients of all descriptions, Asimakopoulos said. When Modern Bride was looking for a background for the Victorian edition, they immediately recommended the Frederick Stegmaier mansion as the “best fit,” she said.
“As soon as they saw this place, they said this was it,” Asimakopoulos said. “It’s exciting. Joe has been tremendously cooperative and people are in awe over what he has done. It’s literally like walking back in time. This guy is over the top with detail.”
Matteo, a pianist with a flair for architecture and history, has spent the last seven years restoring the mansion, originally built in 1870 by locally renowned Victorian architect Missouria Houpt as his private residence. Frederick Stegmaier, president of the Stegmaier Brewery and son of brewery founder Charles Stegmaier, purchased the mansion in 1906 where it remained in the Stegmaier family until the late 1940s.
Matteo purchased the mansion from Graysha Harris in 2001 for $205,000 and spent a huge amount of money and time restoring it. The mansion is an impressive reminder of the city’s time of great prosperity with its regal Victorian dining room, gentlemen’s and ladies’ parlors, bridal suite, grand staircase and stained glass windows. Model “Pernilla” was photographed in the ladies’ parlor in Victorian clothes Wednesday.
Having the mansion featured as a background in Modern Bride magazine is a great honor, said Matteo, who has been collecting the historic items in the mansion for many years.
“I’m very humbled,” Matteo said. “I got the call last week that I was being considered for a shoot from three properties in the country. Then I got the call late Thursday that I was the one that they chose.”
Located in the River Street historic district, the mansion is now a historical house museum, a banquet facility, a bed and breakfast and apartments. Matteo resides there. Several special events are held there including dinners, showers and receptions.
“I’ve had people who have dined here who said they felt like royalty,” Matteo said. “We try to do everything ‘High Victorian.’ When we do our formal dinners, we have a nine-course high Victorian dinner. We try to dazzle everyone with the china, crystal and silver. This has become like an anchor and has really spurred a lot of interest in development and neighborhood pride.”
Asimakopoulos was impressed to be served on china and crystal at the mansion that she described as “absolutely pristine.”
“It’s very rare that I’m served on china and crystal. These folks have provided us with a very nice experience,” Asimakopoulos said. “We are delighted to shoot here all day.”
In addition to the Frederick Stegmaier mansion, Asimakopoulos said her firm has been developing a catalog of other locations throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania to promote the “beauty and uniqueness” of the area.
Look for the Stegmaier Mansion in the December 2008 issue of Modern Bride Magazine.
Stegmaier Mansion Conservatory
Antiques At The Stegmaier Mansion
Stegmaier Mansion Ambiance
Stegmaier Library
Victorian Bookcase Stegmaier Library
Phonograph Stegmaier Library
Fireplace Gold Medal Bed Room Stegmaier Mansion
Stegmaier Mansion Fireplace
Sumptuous Sleeping At The Stegmaier Mansion
Luxurious Gold Medal Bed Room Stegmaier Mansion
Stegmaier Mansion Gold Medal Bed Room
Opulent Victorian Bridal Suite Stegmaier Mansion Scene Of Modern Bride Photo Shoot
Ladies Parlor Stegmaier Mansion Where DVD Victorian Fashions At The Mansion Was Filmed
Stegmaier Mansion Dining Room
Victorian Centerpiece At Stegmaier Mansion
Victorian Sideboard At Stegmaier Mansion
Victorian Society Tea Party At Stegmaier Dining Room
Victoriana Lady has been honored to receive donations from individuals who would like their loved ones antique garments preserved and their history shared. Any item, in any condition before 1930 will be cherished and given due acknowledgement in my traveling museum programs.
Please contact me if you are interested in being a part of history Sincere thanks, Victoriana Lady Lisa
