SHOPPELL, Robert Washington (1846-1919), an editor and author of a monthly journal published in New York City called Shoppell's Modern Houses, first released in April 1886 by the Co-Operative Building Plan Association, Architects, and continuing to late 1887. Each issue contained a series of perspective drawings and plans for a variety of buildings, not merely residential works, and the designs included schools, churches, farm buildings, row houses and terrace houses. Plans were offered for sale, and there are undoubtedly thousands of examples erected in both the United States and Canada which are based on these plans. Three of these residential works have been identified in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, one of which still stands as of 2021, and is now listed as designated heritage property (see list below).
It appears that Shoppell was not a trained architect, but was a clever promoter and editor who showed a distinct predilection and bias towards the popular American Shingle Style, which was used in almost every single design appearing in his journal. Only a few of his proposals made use of the outdated Second Empire or Italiante style, both of which were rapidly falling out of fashion by 1886. His journal was modeled after the successful American pattern books produced by A.J. Bicknell, and by the Palliser Brothers, and all were to prove to be a major influence on American residential architecture in the late 19th C.
Shoppell was born in Tarlton, Ohio on 5 May 1846, but no information has been found on his education or training. He lived and worked in New York City in the 1880's, but later moved to Washington, D.C. where he became one of the owners of the National Tribune newspaper in 1899. He died at Bound Brook, New Jersey on 15 November 1919 (obituary in The Evening Star [Washington, D.C.], 17 December 1919, 10).
VANCOUVER, B.C., residence for G. Ford, West Pender Street at Broughton Street, 1888; demol. (Vancouver Daily World, 31 Dec. 1888, 5; inf. Donald Luxton, Vancouver)
VICTORIA, B.C., 'Warburton', a large residence for Alfred Bodley, 1032 McGregor Avenue, 1892, a replica of Design No. 462, first published Shoppell's Modern Houses, Vol. Two, January 1887, page 40, illus. & descrip. (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 180-81, illus. & descrip.)
VICTORIA, B.C., a large residence for Charles Napier, 1054 McGregor Avenue, 1892; demol. 1967, a replica of Design No. 455, first published in Shoppell's Modern Houses, Vol. Two, January 1887, page 33, illus. & descrip. (Victoria Heritage Foundation, This Old House: Victoria's Heritage Neighbourhoods, Vol. 3, 2021, 182, illus. & descrip.)