restoration of the recently acquired mccormick mansion sullivan-designed radiator grille well underway

this ornamented radiator grille, fabricated for the cyrus mccormick mansion remodel - where only two were actually installed - is considered to be the purest expression of a louis h. sullivan design executed in three-dimensional form by the winslow brothers foundry of chicago.

interestingly, george grant elmslie (sullivan's chief draftsman) recalled that, upon presentation of the design or drawings to winslow's founder and president william winslow in 1901, winslow responded by saying it simply could not be done. the intricate detailing, cast on such a large scale and in remarkable thinness just wasn't possible, or so he thought.

sullivan knew otherwise.

elmslie went on to state that only four of these grilles or grates were fabricated by winslow brothers. of the four, two were kept by sullivan and winslow; they were later donated to institutions in illinois. the other two grilles were installed in the mccormick mansion during the 1901 remodel.

by the time demolition of the stately mansion was about to commence, the interior had been completely and utterly trashed by vandals, topped off by a rowdy "party" the night before the wrecking ball arrived.

one of the two grilles was likely ripped out for it's scrap value, or smashed to pieces by vandals. the other grille was removed (the who, why and when remains unknown) and remarkably survived largely intact. shortly thereafter, it was discovered and purchased on maxwell street by a gentleman who recognized it after seeing winslow's grille at the art institute.

decades later it resurfaced and was offered through an auction house at a modest opening bid. when all was said and done, the grille was secured by the bldg. 51 museum, where photodocumentation and restoration are well underway.