faithfully reproduced louis h. sullivan-designed guaranty building lobby elevator ornament joints bldg. 51 museum collection

looking over newspapers on the guaranty building, i discovered plans that announced (january, 1951) to do away with the original open-cage sullivan-designed elevator enclosures within the guaranty building (adler & sullivan, architects, 1896).
the "modernization" would cost 20,000, which included new otis elevator cabs ordered to replace the "antiquated cages."

in subsequent decades, adler and sullivan's guaranty building fell into further disrepair, including a disastrous fire in 1973, in addition to damaging the building's storefront level ornamental terra cotta through ill-conceived attempts to clean surface grime from prolonged exposure to the elements. 

thanks to jack randall, the building was saved from demolition and paved the way to restore the building, culminating in the 1983 lobby restoration lead by canon, which was completed n 1983. the painstaking work required to return the lobby to its appearance when built in 1896, included recreating the bronze-plated cast iron elevator enclosures, restoring the art glass skylights, wall mosaics and incandescent bare bulb ceiling and wall electroliers.

an architect who worked on the project during the 1980s restoration saved several examples of replicated cast iron ornament used to recreate the main lobby elevator enclosures designed by louis h. sullivan and executed by the winslow brothers, chicago, ills. a small selection of the ornament acquired by the bldg. 51 museum through private sale is posted below. 

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