2014 CATALOG
2 0 1 4 C ATA L O G
a collection of historically important american architectural artifacts.
6
introduction One night many months ago, I was rummaging through old documents and happened to stumble across a book – a book from my previous life. It was my thesis from graduate school, a tightly bound distillation of my years of work in the department of pharmacology at the University of Minnesota when I was doing science. An idea caught: Perhaps I could translate the work I’ve accomplished thus far, the years of work as a glorified junkologist, into a similar format. Even as a grad student, every chance I got I was salvaging buildings, collecting artifacts and photographing the remains. This catalog of objects is a representation, a “freeze frame” in time of my burgeoning collection as it exists under the BLDG. 51 museum and gallery in Chicago. It is curated from several thousand photographs of artifacts I have obtained over the years, many from Chicago buildings about to die or mere days away from a wrecking ball. Although the core of the collection remains constant, it is dynamic. Alive. Several pieces may come and go as my interests shift over time, and the grouping of objects and artifacts is often broken apart and rearranged in multi sub-collections. The focus of this particular collection centers on architectural building elements comprised of diverse materials, including, but not limited to, art glass, cast iron, terra cotta and woodwork. The highlights are fourfold: a variety of objects pertaining to my two favorite architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis H. Sullivan, along with artifacts from notable Chicago theaters or movie palaces, and finally, commercial and residential buildings. I do not find a need to prattle on about the "art" of collecting, nor is it really necessary. The assemblage of images will speak for themselves. At the end of the day, I'm just the caretaker. I am proud of my collection and I feel the need to share it with others. I could spend hours, if not days, pouring over other people’s collections, but unfortunately, that just isn't realistic. On occasion, I have had the opportunity to visit a fellow collector's home. It is a chance to admire and actively discuss what they have in their possession, stories of acquisition, what we like most, and ultimately, where our collections will end up when we are gone. The camaraderie is certainly fulfilling. Yet there are so many others out there who I will not get to share that with. For one reason or another, their collections are, in a sense, hidden. From time to time, bits and pieces surface or collections arranged in an auction format appear at auction. But experiencing a collection as a whole, in situ, especially as it was intended or is currently displayed and in the environment created through the mind's eye of the collector, this is rare and a deeply moving experience. By offering a catalog of my collection, accessible to any and all with similar interests, I hope to encourage others to do the same. To take the time to document their collection and make it available for us to see and appreciate. There will no doubt be more salvages and opportunities to rescue and acquire artifacts ahead for me and these excursions will bolster the collection. I might come across a "tree of life" window in the next year or several items of equal historic significance. You never know. Shortly before I wrote this introduction, I acquired a Guaranty building ceiling medallion that was quickly added to this catalog before it went off to the printers. This then, is the first of more editions to follow. The city of Chicago is a big place with quite a few buildings that change with time. Whether by demolition or alteration, pieces of ornament will be removed. I hope to be there, for as long as I remain in this business, to collect and care for them. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy living in it. Eric J. Nordstrom April 2014 Chicago
7
GUARANTY BUILDING
51-19907-14
51-19907-14: exceptionally rare flush mount ceiling light fixture medallion removed from the lobby of the guaranty (later prudential) building. the medallion is made of cast iron and features intricately designed leafage motifs. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
30
31
MCCORMICK MANSION 51-20285-14
51-20285-14: original documented c. 1901 ornamental cast iron cyrus hall radiator grille salvaged from the mccormick house. the oversized louis h. sullivan-designed grille is so intricately designed that, according to an account by george grant elmslie, it was virtually impossible to execute the grille’s design in iron. sullivan reportedly replied that the winslow brothers foundry could do it. four perfect castings were created. fabricated the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
44
45
51-20387-14
AVERY COONLEY HOUSE
51-20387-14: two matching original 20th century interior leaded art glass door panels salvaged from the avery coonley residence. the doors originally flanked a larger projecting bay of windows. the geometric design is an extension of an existing pattern found in the living room windows. fabricated by the linden glass company, chicago, il.
60
FRANCIS W. LITTLE HOUSE
51-17677-13
51-17677-13: early 20th century art glass window from the francis w. little residence. the window was salvaged from the house right before its demolition in the early 1970’s. it features a strong geometric composition of clear glass accentuated with small white opalescent panes. fabricated by the temple art glass company, chicago, il.
61
51-20082-14
51-20082-14: buff-colored vitreous terra cotta salvaged from the non-extant francis apartments in 1971. the detailed design features overlapping circles with naturalistic floral ornaments. the francis apartments were built for the terra haute trust co.. manufactured by the northwestern terra cotta co.
66
67
51-8805-11
51-16651-13
51-20365-14
51-16651-13: late 1920’s illuminated lobby aisle sign salvaged from the lawndale theater. the decorative cast plaster enclosure was fabricated by the decorators supply co., chicago, il. 51-20365-14: exceptional and well-preserved c. 1936 american depressionera hand-painted “matinee daily” marquee board salvaged from the extant lawndale theater. the single-sided board is comprised of thick masonite with a polychromatic finish. surface crazing is consistent with age. 51-8805-10: c. 1927 backstage control panel used for auditorium lighting salvaged from the lawndale theater. the panel features a ruby red glass jewel indicator light. originally part of a larger control unit. manufactured by the major lighting and electrical co., chicago, il.
78
79
GRANADA THEATER 51-17299-13
51-20276-14
51-20353-14
51-20276-14: c. 1920’s polychromatic cast plaster column capital salvaged from the non-extant granada theater. the capital fragment is largely neoclassical in style, featuring deep relief acanthus leaves and scrolls with ornate gold-leaf enameled finish. fabricated by the decorators supply co., chicago, il. 51-20353-14: original american cast plaster theater lobby medallion salvaged from the granada theater. the medallion features a slightly embossed profile of a spanish conquistador. fabricated by the decorator’s supply company, chicago, il. 51-17299-13: roaring 1920’s american giant-sized reinforced cast plaster costumed female statue. from the auditorium of the historic (nonextant) granada theater or movie palace constructed in 1926. likely fabricated by the decorators’ supply co., of chicago, il.
90
91
FISHER BUILDING
51-19633-14
51-19633-14: historically important cast iron figural doorknob and matching monogrammed backplate salvaged from the extant fisher building. the finely detailed doorknob features a centrally located aquatic creature within a foliated cartouche. the original bower-barff baked enameled finish remains largely intact. fabricated by the yale & towne mfg. co., stamford, ct.
108
109
RELIANCE BUILDING
51-14539-12
51-14539-12: 19th century interior lobby elevator surround salvaged from the extant reliance building during extensive renovations. the surround is made of riveted joint iron. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
122
123
144
51-17318-13
51-19368-14
51-9100-11
51-17318-13: antique “sullivan stock” style white glazed exterior roofline terra cotta. fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il.
51-19368-14: c. 1910-20 white glazed terra cotta block designed and fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il. the surface glaze contains nicely aged uniform crazing from prolonged exposure to the elements.
145
51-9100-11: c 1915 exterior “sullivanesque” style white slip glaze terra cotta cartouche salvaged from a small chicago commercial building. the cartouche is comprised of four sections fitted together. fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il.
COBB LECTURE HALL 51-16650-13
51-16650-13: gothic style wall-mount drinking fountain salvaged from cobb hall, located on the university of chicago campus. the fountain is made of cast bronze with the original surface patina largely intact. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
184
185
a collection of historically important american architectural artifacts.
6
introduction One night many months ago, I was rummaging through old documents and happened to stumble across a book – a book from my previous life. It was my thesis from graduate school, a tightly bound distillation of my years of work in the department of pharmacology at the University of Minnesota when I was doing science. An idea caught: Perhaps I could translate the work I’ve accomplished thus far, the years of work as a glorified junkologist, into a similar format. Even as a grad student, every chance I got I was salvaging buildings, collecting artifacts and photographing the remains. This catalog of objects is a representation, a “freeze frame” in time of my burgeoning collection as it exists under the BLDG. 51 museum and gallery in Chicago. It is curated from several thousand photographs of artifacts I have obtained over the years, many from Chicago buildings about to die or mere days away from a wrecking ball. Although the core of the collection remains constant, it is dynamic. Alive. Several pieces may come and go as my interests shift over time, and the grouping of objects and artifacts is often broken apart and rearranged in multi sub-collections. The focus of this particular collection centers on architectural building elements comprised of diverse materials, including, but not limited to, art glass, cast iron, terra cotta and woodwork. The highlights are fourfold: a variety of objects pertaining to my two favorite architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis H. Sullivan, along with artifacts from notable Chicago theaters or movie palaces, and finally, commercial and residential buildings. I do not find a need to prattle on about the "art" of collecting, nor is it really necessary. The assemblage of images will speak for themselves. At the end of the day, I'm just the caretaker. I am proud of my collection and I feel the need to share it with others. I could spend hours, if not days, pouring over other people’s collections, but unfortunately, that just isn't realistic. On occasion, I have had the opportunity to visit a fellow collector's home. It is a chance to admire and actively discuss what they have in their possession, stories of acquisition, what we like most, and ultimately, where our collections will end up when we are gone. The camaraderie is certainly fulfilling. Yet there are so many others out there who I will not get to share that with. For one reason or another, their collections are, in a sense, hidden. From time to time, bits and pieces surface or collections arranged in an auction format appear at auction. But experiencing a collection as a whole, in situ, especially as it was intended or is currently displayed and in the environment created through the mind's eye of the collector, this is rare and a deeply moving experience. By offering a catalog of my collection, accessible to any and all with similar interests, I hope to encourage others to do the same. To take the time to document their collection and make it available for us to see and appreciate. There will no doubt be more salvages and opportunities to rescue and acquire artifacts ahead for me and these excursions will bolster the collection. I might come across a "tree of life" window in the next year or several items of equal historic significance. You never know. Shortly before I wrote this introduction, I acquired a Guaranty building ceiling medallion that was quickly added to this catalog before it went off to the printers. This then, is the first of more editions to follow. The city of Chicago is a big place with quite a few buildings that change with time. Whether by demolition or alteration, pieces of ornament will be removed. I hope to be there, for as long as I remain in this business, to collect and care for them. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy living in it. Eric J. Nordstrom April 2014 Chicago
7
GUARANTY BUILDING
51-19907-14
51-19907-14: exceptionally rare flush mount ceiling light fixture medallion removed from the lobby of the guaranty (later prudential) building. the medallion is made of cast iron and features intricately designed leafage motifs. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
30
31
MCCORMICK MANSION 51-20285-14
51-20285-14: original documented c. 1901 ornamental cast iron cyrus hall radiator grille salvaged from the mccormick house. the oversized louis h. sullivan-designed grille is so intricately designed that, according to an account by george grant elmslie, it was virtually impossible to execute the grille’s design in iron. sullivan reportedly replied that the winslow brothers foundry could do it. four perfect castings were created. fabricated the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
44
45
51-20387-14
AVERY COONLEY HOUSE
51-20387-14: two matching original 20th century interior leaded art glass door panels salvaged from the avery coonley residence. the doors originally flanked a larger projecting bay of windows. the geometric design is an extension of an existing pattern found in the living room windows. fabricated by the linden glass company, chicago, il.
60
FRANCIS W. LITTLE HOUSE
51-17677-13
51-17677-13: early 20th century art glass window from the francis w. little residence. the window was salvaged from the house right before its demolition in the early 1970’s. it features a strong geometric composition of clear glass accentuated with small white opalescent panes. fabricated by the temple art glass company, chicago, il.
61
51-20082-14
51-20082-14: buff-colored vitreous terra cotta salvaged from the non-extant francis apartments in 1971. the detailed design features overlapping circles with naturalistic floral ornaments. the francis apartments were built for the terra haute trust co.. manufactured by the northwestern terra cotta co.
66
67
51-8805-11
51-16651-13
51-20365-14
51-16651-13: late 1920’s illuminated lobby aisle sign salvaged from the lawndale theater. the decorative cast plaster enclosure was fabricated by the decorators supply co., chicago, il. 51-20365-14: exceptional and well-preserved c. 1936 american depressionera hand-painted “matinee daily” marquee board salvaged from the extant lawndale theater. the single-sided board is comprised of thick masonite with a polychromatic finish. surface crazing is consistent with age. 51-8805-10: c. 1927 backstage control panel used for auditorium lighting salvaged from the lawndale theater. the panel features a ruby red glass jewel indicator light. originally part of a larger control unit. manufactured by the major lighting and electrical co., chicago, il.
78
79
GRANADA THEATER 51-17299-13
51-20276-14
51-20353-14
51-20276-14: c. 1920’s polychromatic cast plaster column capital salvaged from the non-extant granada theater. the capital fragment is largely neoclassical in style, featuring deep relief acanthus leaves and scrolls with ornate gold-leaf enameled finish. fabricated by the decorators supply co., chicago, il. 51-20353-14: original american cast plaster theater lobby medallion salvaged from the granada theater. the medallion features a slightly embossed profile of a spanish conquistador. fabricated by the decorator’s supply company, chicago, il. 51-17299-13: roaring 1920’s american giant-sized reinforced cast plaster costumed female statue. from the auditorium of the historic (nonextant) granada theater or movie palace constructed in 1926. likely fabricated by the decorators’ supply co., of chicago, il.
90
91
FISHER BUILDING
51-19633-14
51-19633-14: historically important cast iron figural doorknob and matching monogrammed backplate salvaged from the extant fisher building. the finely detailed doorknob features a centrally located aquatic creature within a foliated cartouche. the original bower-barff baked enameled finish remains largely intact. fabricated by the yale & towne mfg. co., stamford, ct.
108
109
RELIANCE BUILDING
51-14539-12
51-14539-12: 19th century interior lobby elevator surround salvaged from the extant reliance building during extensive renovations. the surround is made of riveted joint iron. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
122
123
144
51-17318-13
51-19368-14
51-9100-11
51-17318-13: antique “sullivan stock” style white glazed exterior roofline terra cotta. fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il.
51-19368-14: c. 1910-20 white glazed terra cotta block designed and fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il. the surface glaze contains nicely aged uniform crazing from prolonged exposure to the elements.
145
51-9100-11: c 1915 exterior “sullivanesque” style white slip glaze terra cotta cartouche salvaged from a small chicago commercial building. the cartouche is comprised of four sections fitted together. fabricated by the midland terra cotta co., chicago, il.
COBB LECTURE HALL 51-16650-13
51-16650-13: gothic style wall-mount drinking fountain salvaged from cobb hall, located on the university of chicago campus. the fountain is made of cast bronze with the original surface patina largely intact. fabricated by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, il.
184
185
