original and beautifully crafted solid cherry wood interior residential colonnade or room divider pilaster possibly fabricated by palmer, fuller & co., chicago, il. the freestanding wall-mount pilaster was salvaged from the extant david c. cook mansion, located in elgin, il. the uniquely shaped pilaster contains intricate floral motifs combined with scrollwork. the base is adorned with slightly protruding floral rosettes (on all sides), along with lightly incised plant designs and chamfered edges. the plaster appears to have an older (likely not original) surface treatment. general wear consistent with age. david c. cook, founder of a prominent religious publishing operation, built the high victorian queen anne chateauesque style mansion on the corner of gifford and division streets in 1885. in 1945 the grand residence was converted (i.e., modernized and expanded) into the mary margaret nursing home and later renamed the bowes retirement center. fortunately, interior elegant furnishings located on both the first and second floors were left intact from the time of mr. cook's occupancy. the fate of the house remains uncertain. measure 5 x 4 x 64 1/2 inches.