26 Aug a single oversized limestone keystone salvaged from demolished two story brick commercial building

while en route to a residential salvage, i ran across a friend of mine who was wrecking an early 20th century (1910-1915) two story brick commercial building. his excavator had not reached the only redeeming architectural artifact in the form of an oversized carved bedford limestone keystone located directly above a large bay window surrounded by cream-colored face brick and unornamented limestone endcaps.

nearly an ad passed by the time the wrecker’s backhoe arrived at the portion of the facade where the keystone was located. in just a few minutes the two-part keystone was carefully “plucked” with the use of the bucket and brought down to safety. the keystone and its elegant flame finial were then placed in the company truck and later photographed in my studio.

the pyramidal-shaped keystone with opposed setbacks, contains a neoclassical theme, consisting of shapely ribbons flanking graduating deep relief bellflowers set within a slightly recessed or sunken panel. the separate diminutive flame finial (originally mounted against the top with a steel rod) is deeply grooved  and flowing in design. the commercial building facade keystone was likely fabricated by the bedford steam stone works located in bedford, ind.