Ignác Wechselmann was born in 1828 in Nikolai, Silesia. He completed his studies in Berlin and Vienna, and in 1854 he moved to Pest, where his first major project was serving as the construction supervisor for the Dohány Street Synagogue. Wechselmann was involved in the construction of several prominent public buildings, including the Main Customs Building and the Castle Garden Bazaar, both designed by Miklós Ybl, as well as university buildings. Due to his work, he received a knighthood, and remained faithful to the Jewish faith throughout his life. He also worked on palaces for notable aristocratic families, including the Festetich and Batthyány families.
The master builder married Sophie Neuschloss, the daughter of the wealthy timber merchant Károly Neuschloss, in 1859. It is likely that the woman's considerable dowry contributed to the builder’s later substantial wealth.
Wechselmann passed away on February 17, 1903. A detailed inventory of his estate was made shortly afterward, on April 21 and April 24. The probate inventory of Ignác Wechselmann’s estate was recorded by Dr. Ferenc Szily, deputy notary public for Zsigmond Rupp. The net estate amounted to a substantial sum of 10,638,830 crowns.
The childless couple left significant amounts from their wealth for charitable purposes. Twelve years before Wechselmann’s death, through their foundation, they donated 1.4 million crowns for the construction of an institution for blind children, and 2 million crowns for teacher’s pensions. The interest from these funds was to be distributed as "lifetime" pensions to teachers who had worked in public schools for at least 25 years. Both donations were available to individuals of Jewish and Christian faiths in equal shares.
The Wechselmanns’ Home
On the first day of the probate inventory, a 145-item inventory of the furniture was made in the apartment at 72 Váci Road (now Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road). Not only were the individual pieces of furniture listed, but the rooms they were in were also named. Thus, the inventory can be used as a kind of guidebook, enabling a walkthrough of Wechselmann's home.
First, let's look at what should typically be found in a middle-class home, but is missing from the list. Notably absent is a maid’s room or any other space for household staff, as well as a study, which is expected in upper-class homes. The former is somewhat harder to explain, since the elderly, childless, and very wealthy couple almost certainly had staff. However, there is no bed or sleeping place for a maid or house servant in either the kitchen or the rooms. One could assume that the inventory simply omitted the servant’s room, which was likely furnished with inexpensive, worthless furniture. The absence of a study could be because Wechselmann had a separate office and did not use his home for business purposes.
We have information on the furnishings of the 7 rooms, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the hallway. In my analysis, I will begin with the most expensively furnished, crowded rooms and then move towards the less luxurious parts of the apartment.
1. Representative spaces
The salon (drawing room)
The highlight of the apartment was undoubtedly the salon. Here, the furniture could have been grouped around three or four focal points, such as the sofas or tables.
List of furnishings:
- 2 black lacquered tables, 1 bronze mosaic round table, 1 smooth bronze table
- 1 fraise silk-upholstered set (1 sofa, 1 armchair); 1 silk and plush brocade set (1 sofa, 2 chairs); 1 matching divan and 2 armchairs; 3 gold brocade armchairs; 6 different silk-plush, gilt chairs
One of the most expensive pieces of furniture in the room was the Ehrbar piano, valued at 300 crowns, as well as two bronze wall-mounted standing mirrors, each estimated at 400 crowns. Additionally, eleven different oil paintings were inventoried, valued at 1,000 crowns. The other accessories also consisted of costly items. In the room stood a black mirrored cabinet with a white marble statue (100 crowns), and three fraise silk and white curtains hung in the windows. The doors were covered with three plush door curtains (valued at 120 and 90 crowns).
The floor was covered by a large carpet worth 180 crowns. Lighting was provided by a six-branched electric chandelier. Additionally, there were two seven-branched silver candelabras (600 crowns each), two seven-branched bronze ‘giraudeux’ (candelabras), and four six-branched bronze wall-mounted candle holders that added to the room’s illumination.
On the fireplace mantel, there was also a bronze clock.
The men’s salon
In the men’s salon, a more subdued and somewhat cozier overall impression likely greeted those who entered, compared to the main salon. Here, the upholstery of the chairs and armchairs was not made of silk, plush, or gold brocade, but rather from canvas. The material of the curtains was not specified, but based on their cost, they were certainly made of simpler drapery compared to the salon’s silk curtains. Despite the less extravagant textiles, showcasing valuable accessories remained an important consideration in the men’s salon’s design.
The room featured one large Smyrna carpet, three large Persian rugs, and three smaller Persian rugs, which were valued at 600 crowns. The walls were also covered with expensive paintings (15 pieces, valued at 900 crowns).
The space was divided into three sections by two polished tables and one round small table, as well three sofas, surrounded by armchairs, and chairs.
List of furnishings:
- 2 polished, round marble-topped tables, 1 polished round small table;
- 3 canvas-upholstered sofas, 2 embroidered armchairs, 3 canvas-upholstered armchairs, 4 trimmed rug-covered chairs.
Along the walls, 3 trumeaux (small cabinets) were placed.
This room also featured electric lighting (2 three-armed electric wall lamps were listed), but the main light source was likely the 150-crown glass and bronze gas chandelier. Other valuable accessories included gilded wall mirrors (valued at 120 crowns), a similarly priced mantel clock, and 2 urn-shaped bronze containers.
The boudoir – the women's salon
The women’s salon, although its furnishings were valued lower than those of the men's salon, was much more glamorous and splendid. The room featured familiar silk and brocade upholstery from the salon, along with silk damask curtains. Rococo-style, polished furniture was a defining feature. Along the wall, there may have been a polished, carved writing desk with a plush chair and a polished paper basket (valued at a total of 94 crowns). The layout of the boudoir could have been divided into two or three centers around the sofas and tables.
List of furnishings:
- 1 polished Rococo inlaid table; 1 bronze majolica side table;
- 1 sofa, 2 armchairs with red silk brocade, and 1 chair; 1 sofa, 2 armchairs embroidered with blue plush; 1 light blue ‘choise louge’ (sic!) with 3 cushions.
Valued at 120 crowns, the Rococo inlaid trumeaux (cabinet) was probably standing near the Rococo table. Next to the majolica table, there were almost certainly two majolica flower vases. To make the room even more dazzling, luxurious accessories were added: a Venetian mirror (200 crowns), a Venetian chandelier (300 crowns), two Venetian wall candelabras, a gilded clock, and two five-armed girandoles.
In terms of paintings, fewer and less valuable pieces were placed in this room compared to the previous ones. On the walls, there was one picture inlaid with mother-of-pearl (80 crowns), five different oil paintings (200 crowns), and one standing painted picture (5 crowns). While the main lighting source was not specified, whether it was electric or gas, among the items listed was a bronze sculpture with electric lamps.
Dining room
Compared to the previous rooms, the dining room was furnished more modestly. The material choices and decorative elements were elegant yet more practical. The furniture followed a consistent style.
The central focus of the room was likely the dining table surrounded by chairs, while a smaller section of the room featured armchairs around a large table. The list of furniture is as follows:
- 1 large hardwood credenza (150 crowns)
- 1 large hardwood trumeaux with a marble top and mirror (100 crowns)
- 1 large hardwood dining table with a marble top (60 crowns)
- 1 large hardwood table with a marble top (40 crowns)
- 18 plush-upholstered dining chairs (90 crowns)
- 2 large armchairs (30 crowns)
The dining room’s valuable accessories included a large Smyrna rug (150 crowns), six different oil paintings (220 crowns), a large electric chandelier (200 crowns), and a mantel clock and girandole set valued at 120 crowns.
2. Private spaces
The husband’s bedroom
In the husband’s bedroom, the defining feature was the set of polished furniture: the bed, salon table, a two-door washstand, a dressing table with a mirror, and a similarly polished round marble-topped table. Also included among the items were a standing mirror, a matte bookcase with books (the library was likely not too large, as it was valued at 80 crowns along with the shelf), and two cane chairs. Lighting was provided by a bronze chandelier.
The most valuable items in the room were the Wertheim cabinet (180 crowns) and the prominent paintings and rugs similar to the men’s salon. Although there were only one or two valuable pieces among them, their influence on the overall look of the room may have been more significant due to the presumed smaller size of the room.
On the wall, a large oil painting by Normann hung (valued at 150 crowns), as well as a miscellaneous painting considered to be of little value, with only the black frame being appraised at 20 crowns. The floor was covered by a large Persian rug, also valued at 150 crowns.
The wife’s bedroom
The number of furniture pieces and their total value in the husband’s and wife’s bedrooms do not differ significantly, but their material worlds show notable contrasts, much like in the case of the men’s and women’s salons. In the wife’s bedroom, the most valuable items were the three-door inlaid wardrobe and the inlaid bed frame, valued at 200 and 150 crowns, respectively, in the estate inventory. There are also valuable paintings here, but these are less valuable than the 100 crowns-worth painting in the husband’s bedroom – the total value of the five paintings in the wife’s bedroom amounts to this sum.
The room was clearly arranged with uniform materials and color schemes. Blue silk predominated; it covered the toilette table, four chairs, and was used for the curtains, bed canopy, and bedspread. Lighting was provided by a four-arm electric chandelier and a wall-mounted electric lamp. Additionally, a few other valuable items were noted in the room, including a black side table, a small table, and a red rug.
Small toilette room
It can be assumed that this space was used by the lady of the house for daily hygiene and preparations, while also serving as a women’s wardrobe. The inventory lists one three-door washstand with a marble top, one polished vanity table, and three single-door wardrobes. Additionally, there were two oil paintings (valued at 80 crowns), one small wall clock with weights, a three-arm chandelier, one large rug, and one large gilded mirror in the room.
3. Service areas: bathroom, kitchen, hallway
Bathroom
At first glance, this room seems to have been used more for dressing than for bathing. Despite the low number of items and their relatively modest value, the overall composition of the bathroom’s furnishings suggests that it belonged to the more private or even the representative areas of the home.
The inventory does not list a bathtub or washbasin, which does not necessarily mean that such fixtures were absent from the apartment. The furnishings consisted of matching pieces: a polished, carved two-door wardrobe, a polished, round small table, and a dark red plush-upholstered bed by Schőberl. Additionally, an embroidered screen, a relatively inexpensive burgundy trimmed carpet (worth 8 crowns), and a gilded-framed mirror (damaged) along with a steel engraving were noted on the walls.
Kitchen
Although traditionally the simplest room in middle-class homes, the kitchen in the Wechselmanns’ apartment was surprisingly well-stocked with relatively valuable items, largely due to the worth of the dinnerware stored here. Among the items cataloged were two cabinets with glassware sets (valued at 60 crowns), a 24-piece porcelain dining set on an open shelf (80 crowns), and another glassware set on an additional open shelf (100 crowns).
The basic furnishings were much simpler compared to the furniture in other rooms, yet still valued significantly. The kitchen included a yellow-glazed kitchen cabinet (60 crowns), a two-door dish cabinet with a marble top (80 crowns), and a softwood table (4 crowns). A two-door icebox also stood in the kitchen. Decor on the walls included six large majolica wall plates (24 crowns), while three wall-mounted racks held pottery vessels (25 crowns). Additional items recorded in the inventory were a wooden chest and a wall clock.
Entrance hall
The most prominent and valuable piece in the entrance hall was a large, carved coat rack with an integrated mirror, valued at 120 crowns. Besides this striking piece, the hall was sparsely furnished, with only six chairs noted, valued collectively at 24 crowns.
Decorative elements included six different vases, three oil paintings, a large rug covering the floor, and three wall-mounted plates.
Sir Ignác Wechselmann died in his home that reflected the societal prestige and upper-middle-class ideals of his time, showcasing an opulent interior suited to his stature. His wife meticulously filled their home with luxurious, high-quality furnishings and decor. The grand salon, a vast 60-square-meter room with three large windows facing Váczi Boulevard, was the centerpiece of the residence. This space, along with the feminine quarters – such as the ladies’ salon, the small toilette room, and the wife’s bedroom – was styled in the Rococo tradition, adorned with elegant silk and brocade fabrics. In contrast, the men’s salon and the husband’s bedroom maintained a more subdued elegance, with expensive but less ostentatious items, resulting in a calmer and more muted, yet sophisticated, aesthetic. Although it remains unclear which apartment within his tenement building the Wechselmanns occupied, it is evident that their seven-room residence retained its original size and layout for no more than 10 to 15 years after Mrs. Wechselmann's passing.
The transformation of the Wechselmann house
The tenement palace appearing in Wechselmann’s estate, identified in a photo by György Klösz as the ‘Marshall House,’ was constructed between 1872 and 1874 at 72 Váci Boulevard (now Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road). This period coincided with the expansion of Budapest’s newly developing inner city, which was abruptly stalled by the economic crisis of 1873. Wechselmann himself took on the roles of patron, designer, and builder for the property, with the carpentry work completed by his father-in-law’s company, Károly Neuschloss and Sons. In comparison with the grander facades of nearby buildings along Andrássy Avenue and the Grand Boulevard, Wechselmann’s three-story building featured a more restrained, modest facade. Nonetheless, its structure reflected the architectural trends of the time, aligning with the layout and functional composition of its neighboring buildings. Much like the other four- or five-story tenement palaces with enclosed courtyards of the time, Wechselmann’s building featured a distinct separation between the bright, street-facing spaces and the dimmer rear sections accessible via the courtyard servants’ staircase. Although the precise number and layout of the building's rental units remain unknown, records indicate that it housed multiple tenants. One notable tenant was merchant Samuel Messinger, who rented a twelve-room apartment, suggesting he likely occupied the entire level, on the top floor between 1897 and 1898. When Wechselmann passed away in 1903, tenants were still residing in the building, as evidenced by a line item in the estate inventory. This entry, labeled as the ‘surplus of February's quarterly rent from the building,’ accounted for a sum of 283 crowns.
After Ignác Wechselmann's death, his widow continued to live at 72 Váczi Boulevard until her own passing 11 years later. By 1923, however, ownership of the building had passed to the Mór Coal Mining Company (Móri Szénbánya Rt.). Over the following decade, the company progressively subdivided the grand apartments into smaller units. (HU BFL XV.17.d.329 - 24948) In the autumn of 1923, the subdivision of Samuel Messinger’s former twelve-room apartment marked the beginning of the transformation of the building. The apartment was divided into three separate units: a six-room apartment with three rooms facing the street, a five-room apartment with two street-facing rooms, and a three-room unit with courtyard views. The two larger apartments were equipped with bathrooms, but only the largest, the six-room unit, included a private toilet. Residents of the five-room and three-room apartments shared communal toilets located next to the servants’ staircase.
In 1932 and 1933, the Company undertook further renovations of the six-room apartments on the first and second floors. On both levels, large courtyard-facing rooms were divided into smaller units. A ‘hall,’ a fashionable feature at the time, was added in each apartment, positioned deep within the already dark spaces to connect the newly formed smaller rooms. On the first floor, the former large courtyard-facing room was subdivided into a kitchen, a maid’s room (notably spacious at 9 m2, especially compared to the typical 5-6 m2 maid’s quarters in new 1930s apartment buildings), an office, and a hall. Meanwhile, on the second floor, a similar room was reconfigured into a multifunctional 31 m2-space, incorporating the former entryway to create a doctor’s office with an entrance, a hall and an X-ray room.
Judit Verő-Valló (Translation from Hungarian: Barbara Szij)
(November 2024)