salvaging early louis h. sullivan-designed rothschild building cast iron ornament

richard nickel images – selected from multiple contact sheets – showing the extraction of louis h. sullivan-designed cast iron spandrel panels from the 5-story rothschild building (1881 ) during its demolition in 1972.

additional information and images: albert levy albumen print of d. adler and co. and sullivan's e. rothschild and brothers store taken shortly after it was completed in 1880-1881.
the facade contained extensive use of ornamental cast iron painted light gray to differentiate from the flanking joliet limestone piers.
the building was renovated early on by architect richard e. schmidt when the rothschild company vacated the building in the late 1890s. in 1948 the lower floor was resurfaced in red granite for the reliance mfg. company.
richard nickel documented its demolition in 1972 - the same time adler and sullivan's 1893 chicago stock exchange was undergoing demolition.
thankfully, nickel and tim samuleson salvaged cast iron cornice ornament. nickel tragically died when both buildings were entering final stages of demolition.

the upper facade contained twelve cast iron spandrel panels divided by three carved joilet limestone piers with massive endcaps. the limestone ornament proved to cumbersome to handle, so none of it survived demolition.

with unrestricted building access during demolition, nickel systematically documented the wreckers dismantle the limestone and cast iron cornice, including the removal of four panels he arranged to have saved for the art institute, edwardsville, and other institutions. the eight remaining iron panels and cornice sections were scrapped.
the exterior cornice ornament rescued from the rothschild building represents the earliest extant example of sullivan’s architectural ornament.

images courtesy of burnham and ryerson, art institute of chicago

undated black and white richard nickel photographic prints of the e. rothschild and brothers store (1880-81). the cast iron and stone facade was designed by louis h. sullivan for dankmar adler & company (later adler and sullivan).

the downtown chicago commercial building was demolished in 1972 by national wrecking. multiple cast iron panels were salvaged and distributed to institutions during the building's demolition.

nickel shot the building in black and white and color. the images nickel took from the scaffolding are espeically interesting.

original turned oak wood staircase spindle salvaged from max rothschild row houses (1883) in 1976 by tim samuelson. gifted to bldg. 51 museum. photo of row houses taken by r. nickel.