recreation and installation of h.i. cobb's 1893 chicago athletic association building plaster "stalactite" ceiling

after well over three years, i've finally begun the arduous task of editing hundreds of photographic images documenting the recreation and installation of henry ives cobb's chicago athletic association building's (1893) gothic style cast plaster "drooping tip" illuminated ceiling, located in the building's great dining room.

the original h.i. cobb-designed cast plaster ceiling "stalactites" (originally painted white and outfitted with bare incandescent light bulbs) were discovered beneath multiple drop ceilings dating back to the 1940's. sadly the installation of additional drop-ceilings badly damaged cobb's original cast plaster panels to the point where they were removed and replaced with faithfully reproduced replicas employing similar techniques when they were first installed in 1893. 

all images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom photography and the bldg. 51 archive.

before:

rediscovery: 

recreation:

after:

further reading:

PUBLISHING CHICAGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION BUILDING BOOK REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY IN 2017