henry ives cobb-designed gothic revival style bronze water fountain from university of chicago

the bldg. 51 museum has recently assembled several architectural artifacts from buildings (demolished or heavily altered/modified) designed by henry ives cobb for an upcoming exhibit highlighting his work. an exceptionally well-made and intricately designed late 19th or early 20th century american gothic style interior ornamental cast bronze wall-mount drinking fountain, salvaged long ago from the university of chicago's cobb hall, is one of several pieces that will be included in the exhibit.

the finely cast water fountain features a highly detailed repeating quatrefoil band along the faceted apron. the pointed arch backsplash contains a deep relief drip molding surrounding intricately designed gothic tracery. the faceted base decreases in size incrementally, forming a series of steps along each side.

the flush mount drinking fountain was executed by the winslow brothers foundry, chicago, ills. a company catalog (1905) highlighting some of the foundry's finest work across the country, includes an image of the fountain with "university of chicago" caption.

the university of chicago's main campus is located on the south side of chicago, in the neighborhoods of hyde park and woodlawn. the northern and southern sections of the school' campus are separated by the midway plaisance, a large, linear park created for the 1893 world's columbian exposition (perhaps best known as the location of the fair's gargantuan ferris wheel).

the first buildings of the university of chicago campus, which make up what is now known as the main "quadrangles," were part of a "master plan" conceived by two university of chicago trustees and plotted by chicago architect henry ives cobb. cobb hall, located on ellis avenue near 58th st., was the university's first purpose-built structure. constructed like all cobb's university buildings of blue-gray bedford cut limestone, cobb hall, named for the benefactor silas cobb, included a lecture hall on the first floor as well as offices and classrooms.

the side of the building facing ellis avenue is divided into three pavilions, each with regular groups of rectangular windows which have transoms provided by horizontal stone mullions about one-third of the way from the top. at the outer edges of the end pavilions are projecting bays topped with gabled dormer windows. the elevation facing the quadrangle, which contains the entrance, is meant to be the principal facade. it is divided in the same fashion as the ellis street front except that an entrance way flanked by great capped piers is substituted for the central pavilion. over the principal doorway is a two-story pointed window. the interior of the building has been remodeled several times.