Building 51 | Building 51 | unusually designed late 1930’s fontana theater wall-mount deeply embossed glass exit light panel with brass frame – possibly kliegl brothers, new york city, ny.
9662
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unusually designed late 1930’s fontana theater wall-mount deeply embossed glass exit light panel with brass frame – possibly kliegl brothers, new york city, ny.

51-21451-14

Category

Non-Chicago Artifacts

About This Item

remarkably rare and seldom found original and intact wall or flush-mount interior theater auditorium illuminated exit light panel possibly fabricated for the kliegl brothers, new york city, ny. the panel is comprised of thick plate glass with deeply embossed fanciful cursive lettering. the original gold paint applied to the background below the raised lettering has been touched up to achieve better uniformity. the backside of the panel contains a thin red glass panel so when illuminated, the letters glow a bright ruby red. the original ornamented cast brass frame with reed and tie border remains intact. the source of illumination was likely left in the wall when salvaged during restoration or perhaps earlier. the late 1930’s exit light panel was removed from the extant fontana theater located in fontana, ca. the 750-seat art deco fontana (california) theater was designed by the boller brothers in 1937 to look like frank lloyd wright’s midway gardens in chicago. unfortunately, it stopped being a movie theater in the early 1950’s and has been used for a variety of purposes including an elks lodge, a skating rink and retail stores. the theater underwent restorations in 1999.