Rich

[ 09-05-2006: Message edited by: Linerrich ]

When I first got into liners, B&W photos made it look like the top was black, the center was red, and the uptake ring was silver. I was actually disappointed when I first saw a colour shot of her!

Her original configuration has always been my favorite. The worst alteration, IMO, was when they changed her bridge wings. As Rich probably knows, this was simply because Pugnet wanted to be able to stand at the end of the bridge wings and partially see 'around' the bridge. The removal of the zig zag bench dividers aft was also a major botch,...I'm sure Rich knows the story behind that one as well.

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Originally posted by linerguy:
The worst alteration, IMO, was when they changed her bridge wings. As Rich probably knows, this was simply because Pugnet wanted to be able to stand at the end of the bridge wings and partially see 'around' the bridge. ...
-Russ

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No, the bridge wings were changed because of U.S. Coast Guard regulations.

-Russ

[ 09-05-2006: Message edited by: linerguy ]

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Originally posted by J.S.S.Normandie:
Thanks, thats nice to know. The red looks so much better than when they appeared black.

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If you think that is a disapointment, wait until you see real color pictures of her interior .
Many of her opulent public spaces look so clean and beautiful in black & white as one's imagination tends to fill in the missing color in a much more palateable light. But when you see the same rooms in their real bold and brazen colors most people tend to be shocked on how much (dare I say?) tackier her decor appeared in real life. This is one of the big reasons Cunard's Queen Mary was more popular during her time .

Don't get me wrong... Normandie is my absolute favorite classic liner. But her mystique is really much more powerful than reality. Much like the James Dean of ocean liners... Had she not died the way she did, so early in the prime of her career I don't think that she would be the legend she is today.

[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Liner Enthusiast ]

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Originally posted by Liner Enthusiast:

Had she not died the way she did, so early in the prime of her career I don't think that she would be the legend she is today.
[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Liner Enthusiast ]

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Very true--like James Dean or Marilyn Monroe, we remember NORMANDIE (and ANDREA DORIA as well) as young and vibrant. The French ship would likely have returned from trooping in WWII with a somewhat subdued interior, and we would have seen her become seedy and shabby by the early 1960s, finally to burn or be scrapped. Her early elegance would be largely forgotten.

In his book "Crossing & Cruising", John Maxtone-Graham has written a chapter called "The Once and Future NORMANDIE", a what-if? alternate history of the ship had she survived the War. Fascinating stuff!

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Originally posted by Liner Enthusiast:

If you think that is a disapointment, wait until you see real color pictures of her interior .
Many of her opulent public spaces look so clean and beautiful in black & white as one's imagination tends to fill in the missing color in a much more palateable light. But when you see the same rooms in their real bold and brazen colors most people tend to be shocked on how much (dare I say?) tackier her decor appeared in real life.
[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Liner Enthusiast ]

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Here are a couple of color photos of her Grand Salon--I'll leave it up to each member to decide if they are disappointed or delighted :

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Originally posted by Linerrich:
The 2nd photo was taken at the far end of the lounge in the 1st photo; the opening leading to the Fumoir is closed-off with the panels and doors. I believe the chairs at that end of the Lounge were indeed of different colors, but there is definitely a difference in the overall appearance.

Rich

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Rich,

The color of the chairs at that end of the lounge was not different from the others...
-- [I've just edited my message because of a confusion I made about the two doors one can see on the 2nd photo].--

Deckplan and layout of this room in the image below:

For the ones who didn't see it yet, here's a small color video of this room too:

Video of 1st class salon.

Russ (Linerguy),

I realize my sentence was rather abrupt regarding the reason of the changes of the bridge wings and I should have say it in a softer way. I'm sorry for that.
But for what I know, the real reason of this change was indeed a consequence of an inspection of the U.S.C.G. (as it was mandatory for every passenger ship calling in an US port).
Now, that is very possibe Pugnet said CGT it was preferable to change them for allowing a better visibility (and then safety) of the other side of the ship for the mooring operations (the main issue revealed by the U.S.C.G. and I repeat, for what I know, the reason CGT made the change).

[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Vaccaro ]

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Originally posted by mec1:
The redder shot is correct. I have always thought that the Normandie's interiors were OTT and vulgar.

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Originally posted by Vaccaro:

Rich,

The color of the chairs at that end of the lounge was not different from the others...

[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Vaccaro ]

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Oh, but the chairs in the Lounge did indeed have different colors; red in the center, and seafoam green at the aft end. Here is a color photo I found, showing the port aft corner, where you can see chairs of both colors. Sorry for the poor scan!

I spoke about the red ones (the subject of your previous post consecutively to the two photos you had previously posted) which were red and not some red and other ones "purple" as it appears on the 2nd photo.

In fact, the first photo you posted is a bit too red and the second one has a much too yellow tone.

[ 09-06-2006: Message edited by: Vaccaro ]

No problem about your first response!

While I'm sure it's possible that the USCG may have had a problem with the bridge wing's design, I do know that Pugnet complained that he couldn't see enough of the sides of the ship after docking in New York the first time. And while Clive Harvey's book is not the last word on the subject, he does support the theory that Pugnet had a hand in the change.

Not being the definitive authority, I checked with a friend who lives and breathes NORMANDIE and he also said that it was Pugnet's doing. Of course both he and I would certainly be open to any documentation that proves otherwise.

BTW, many thanks for the video,...that's wonderful.

Russ

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Originally posted by Vaccaro:
[..]
For the ones who didn't see it yet, here's a small color video of this room too:

Video of 1st class salon.

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Where's the video from?

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Originally posted by NAL:
I'll throw another color in....from what I've seen,
the main lounge chairs were a dusty rose color and not bright red as in the above photo. The second photo looks as if it's a colorized b/w photo.

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Here is a photo of the Normandie's lounge chairs taken in 2003 I believe at Sothebys.

There a bit faded by now but you can still tell something from it.