likely designed and fabricated by chas. f. lorenzen & co., chicago, ills.

Latest Images documenting interior (floors 3-5) and exterior (including rooftop) of adler and sullivan's s.a. maxwell loft building (commonly known as the jewelers' building). Thankfully I captured the interior prior to restoration work during my last visit in November of 2018.

during that time i focused solely on finding any and all existing sullivan-designed details that managed survive countless alterations since its completion in 1881 (the first major alteration was in 1910). 
with the exception of a few oversized steel-cut plaster ceiling medallions and plaster-covered columns with incised rings and flared capitals, the interior spaces were mostly stripped down to brick walls.
two oak wood paneled bathroom enclosures with bullseye blocks and scattered sections of original baseboard located at the back of the building near the walk-in vaults and freight elevators remain mostly intact, but i suspect it's "stock" sourced from a chicago-based millwork company.
the original open cage single cab elevator (removed or covered over) and sullivan-designed oak wood staircase were pulled from the building in the 1950's, but thankfully richard nickel documented both in situ before later returning to salvage parts of the staircase as it was being ripped out. 
i've included images that nickel took when he documented the upper floors during that time, along with images of the salvaged millwork now housed in a private collection. nickel images courtesy
of the ryerson and burnham library, art institute of chicago.

the five story s.a. maxwell commercial loft building (1881-1882) contains the earliest surviving ornament (on an extant building)designed by louis h. sullivan, who at the time, worked for adler and company (the following year they formed the widely recognized and respected firm of adler & sullivan, perhaps best known for the auditorium building). the s.a. maxwell loft building was built for martin ryerson as a speculative commercial project. shortly after its completion it as leased to the s.a. maxwell company, known as a stationary, book, and wallpaper retailer. the showroom occupied the first floor while the upper floors held offices and storage. the building was later referred to as the  iwan ries building and the "little" jewelers building to distinguish from the larger structure at 35 east wacker drive, which was built in 1925-27.

despite being a largely common loft building - both in its construction and interior floor plan, its facade departs dramatically from its older, italianate neighbors bedecked with archtop windows and keystones. the maxwell lofts building exhibits an open exterior, using cast iron mullions rather than masonry piers in the central bay. most importantly however, is sullivan's ornament in the form of berlin, ohio-quarried carved sandstone floriated panels and pilasters executed by sculptor james legge.