an afternoon documenting the pontiac - holarbird & roche's earliest extant skyscraper

historically important and all original dated 1890 cast brass encased steam pressure gauge from the pontiac building's original heating plant installed by chicago-based theo. jacobs company. the oversized brass steam gauge was fabricated by jas. p. marshall and company. the steam gauge flush-mount 0-200 psi gauge retains the original lightly incised with black enamel silver metallic faceplate and arrow or needle. the size and type is similar to the one used in adler and sullivan's schiller building as shown in the image taken by richard nickel. like holabird and roche's pontiac heating plant gauge, the date of installation is found below the word "steam." unlike schiller, the pontiac gauge does not feature the building's name on the faceplate. the 14-story structure is one of holabird and roche's ealiest skyscrapers still standing in chicago's loop. during it's restoration long ago, the interior, including elevators, doors, and other original features were mostly discarded.

richard nickel photograph of oversized brass steam pressure gauge from adler and sullivan's schiller building (1893) heating plant installed by samuel i. pope company, chicago, ills. note building's name and date on faceplate. likely went to landfill. oversized cast brass steam pressure (0-200psi) gauge salvaged from the long-abandoned heating plant housed in the basement of holabird and roche's pontiac building. the heating plant was originally installed in 1890 by theo. jacobs company, chicago, ills. unfortunately, the building's name is not on the lightly incised faceplate. both gauges were fabricated by jas. p. marsh and company, chicago, ills. courtesy of ryerson and burnham, art institute of chicago and bldg. 51 collection.

original pontiac building doorknob, comprised of brass with original oxidized copper or "old english" plated finish amazingly intact. the backplate is largely unornamented - containing a rope motif around the edges.

c. 1891 original historically important early holabird and roche chicago school skyscraper office building interior window sash pulls fabricated specifically for the building by the p. & f. corbin company, new britain, ct. the pontiac building is the oldest skyscraper designed by holabird and roche. completed in 1891, the 14-story building features some dazzling terra cotta, monogrammed hardware, and ornamental iron elevator cages (repurposed). northwestern executed the terra cotta and elevator ornament was done by winslow brothers. the monogrammed doorknob contains the buildings initials surrounded by a rope pattern border. the oversized sash lifts are comprised of heavy cast brass with original oxidized copper or "tiger stripe" finish intact.