forgotten ornament from adler & sullivan's s.a. commercial loft building joins bldg. 51 museum collection

the bldg. 51 museum recently acquired a group of diminutive first floor exterior column ornament removed (along with the columns) during the 1950's when adler & sullivan's s.a. maxwell building (1882) underwent extensive alterations (interior and exterior) that obliterated most of the street level ornament.

thankfully, richard nickel was present to document the changes and/or removal of ornament, including the two columns containing bands of repeating ornament comprised of individual pieces bolted against the opposed entrance columns. one of the more striking images taken by nickel features the columns after they were relegated to the building's basement. the photo shows a stack of massive timbers that were used to temporarily support the building until a new load-bearing steel truss was added.

one of the columns in the basement was saved and later displayed at the louis sullivan and the architecture of free enterprise exhibit, held at the art institute from october 25th through december 2nd in 1956. when the show concluded, the column made its way to the smithsonian, where it resides to this day.

several ornamental cast iron fragments were removed by nickel from the other column that likely was scrapped (research ongoing). three were given to kansas city artist and art instructor ron slowinski, who at the time, was studying at the chicago art institute. the bldg. 51 museum secured the group of three at auction last month belonging to slowinki. the matching pieces exhibit different surface patinas, with only one containing allover crazed paint - likely untouched since nickel removed it from the column during the 1950's. the other two fragments have been stripped of paint and rust, with one being brought down to bare metal, where casting detail is fully exposed. the fragments and the jewelers building as a whole, possess design elements inspired by sullivan's brief experience working for architect frank furness in the spring of 1873, after he left mit's school of architecture.

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.