02 Nov adler and sullivan’s s.a. gage building revisited

a.s. gage building as it appeared during its demolition in 1968:

i recently discovered and digitized additional photographic images taken of adler and sullivan’s a.s. gage building (later known as the revell building) by richard nickel before and during its demolition in 1968. the a.s. gage & company loft building was built at the time adler and sullivan’s rothschild and s.a. maxwell building were constructed or nearing completion in 1880-1882. the a.s. gage building was the firm’s largest commission prior to the auditorium theater completed in 1889.

the newly found nickel images offer a visually informative record of the gargantuan downtown chicago loft building’s interior as progression of demolition exposes construction methodologies and materials, including early use of p.b. wight’s fireproof terra cotta tiles. other images capture surface detail and/or ornament taken prior to the arrival of the wrecking ball. together these images offer a more comprehensive account of the building as it appeared at the time of its demolition in 1968 – both inside and out.

example of a p.b. wight made terra cotta fireproof tile, extracted from an 1881 adler and sullivan building:

images of salvaged ornament on display at university of illinois edwardsville:

all images and artifacts courtesy of bldg. 51 archvie and ryerson and burnham.

further reading:

ADLER AND SULLIVAN’S REVELL BUILDING LIVES ON THROUGH RICHARD NICKEL IMAGES AND THE ORNAMENT HE SAVED IN 1968