a look back at long lost "gardenesque" plaster ornament discovered in chicago athletic association building's cherry circle bar

virtually untouched and largely intact "gardenesque" cast plaster ornament was discovered above a drop ceiling in the chicago athletic association building's cherry circle bar in 2014, when the building was being coverted into a boutique hotel. hugh garden's richly colored hidden ornament (1907) was carefully documented in situ during extensive remodeling, which included its removal (fragments, including a monogrammed "c" from a double-sided plaster corbel) were recovered and recorded by eric j. nordstrom while documenting the building's transformation, beginning in 2013.

lost gardenesque plaster ornament as it appeared during 2014 chicago athletic association building renovation:

cherry circle publication (1955) includes cherry circle bar with concave-domed drop ceiling:

polychromed gardenesque plaster ornament recovered from cherry circle bar room (chicago athletic association building addition, 1907):

images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom, the bldg. 51 archive, and urban remains. all rights reserved. 2022.