25 Jan

Posted at 04:22h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, Salvages by

it is well known that louis sullivan spent the last two decades of his life and career mired in dire poverty. the architect responsible for defining chicago's architectural ethos, and for raising some of the most exceptional skyscrapers would find himself in dismal poverty, reliant...

24 Jan

Posted at 05:29h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, Salvages by

as demolition of the early 20th century building housing the storied pacific garden mission - more commonly known as the "old lighthouse" - was drawing to a close, a battered and broken floor safe was found in the rubble. the diminutive, baked enameled black safe, with...

18 Jan

Posted at 01:32h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, Salvages by

some of the most unique artifacts in the bldg. 51 collection (and for sale in the urban remains warehouse) are rescued from non-extant theaters hearkening to the early 20th century theater boom. aside from remarkable light fixtures, seating, decorative plaster and exterior elements from these...

12 Jan

Posted at 15:30h in Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the following image gallery offers a glimpse at the latest american architectural artifacts added to the ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 70,000 items digitized/cataloged over the past 16 years). the newly acquired items for the month of JANUARY, 2022, have been documented, cleaned/refinished (if...

02 Jan

Posted at 17:36h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

throughout 2021, the bldg. 51 museum amassed several historically important architectural fragments and objects, in addition to the evolving archive, consisting of period photographs, books, documents, drawings, blueprints, models, and other related materials that will prove invaluable to bolster the narratives of the museum's architectural...

02 Jan

Posted at 02:21h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions by

  the following digitized and edited photographic images presented below were selected from hundreds of pieces of ephemera housed at ryerson and burnham, art institute of chicago, john vinci collection, and bldg. 51 museum collection.  while i've spent several months combing through the richard nickel committee archive,...

18 Dec

Posted at 00:13h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Salvages by

i am thrilled to have finally located and authenticated two heavily carved oak wood staircase railings salvaged from the potter palmer mansion or "castle," designed and built by architects henry ives cobb and charles sumner frost between 1883-1885. the railings were acquired by the bldg....

07 Dec

Posted at 15:23h in Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the following image gallery offers a glimpse at the latest american architectural artifacts and/or miscellaneous objects added to the ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 65,000 items digitized/cataloged over the past 15 years). the newly acquired items for the month of DECEMBER, 2021, have been...

06 Dec

Posted at 03:29h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

historically important art deco style architectural artifacts salvaged from notable chicago buildings erected during the 1920s-1930s. the original ornament - all identified, meticulously documented and photographed is housed in the bldg. 51 museum collection. when time permits, i will provide additional information, identifying the building ornament...

19 Nov

Posted at 17:32h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

descriptive text from the palmolive building (1928) dedication booklet and rental brochure: as it has done in new york, so in chicago, business is moving north, out of the loop, too long the imaginary compass of commerce. northward to quieter streets, clearer skies, more pleasant surroundings. seeking...

09 Nov

Posted at 20:14h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions by

the chicago tribune tower collection, comprised of newly added and existing books, images, and ephemera, is housed in the bldg. 51 museum archive. the following images offer a glimpse at some of the earliest material, dating to the time the tribune tower (howells and hood)...

03 Nov

Posted at 13:53h in Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the following image gallery offers a glimpse at the latest american architectural artifacts and/or miscellaneous objects added to the ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 65,000 items digitized/cataloged over the past 15 years). the newly acquired items for the month of NOVEMBER, 2021, have been...

02 Nov

Posted at 19:07h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions by

richard nickel images (pulled from contact sheets i must have previously overlooked) of s.s. beman's grand central station (1890). the images were taken shortly before and during its demolition in 1971. the images of the iconic tower with oversized illuminated lettering and clock faces are espeically...

26 Oct

Posted at 19:49h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the metallic compression casting company manufactured "house trimmings," such as knobs, hinges, escutcheons, bell pulls, along with dies for printing wall paper, and for bookbinders. the highly successful inventions of charles and michael smith during the 1860's, were used extensively at their foundry in bomerville,...

08 Oct

Posted at 09:56h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the first city directory– which compiles the names, addresses, occupations, and other important demographic information about a given city– is believed to have been commissioned in london by the office of the exchequer in 1588. it enabled the mayor of london to better gauge the...

06 Oct

Posted at 05:39h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the following image gallery offers a glimpse at the latest american architectural artifacts and/or miscellaneous objects added to the ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 65,000 items digitized/cataloged over the past 15 years). the newly acquired items for the month of OCTOBER, 2021, have been...

04 Oct

Posted at 19:21h in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products by

the bldg. 51 museum archive recently acquired an exceptionally rare 1st edition of william h. birkmire's "skeleton construction in steel buildings," published by john wiley & sons, new york, ny., 1893. the profusely illustrated hardcover book with red cloth and gilt-stamped lettering contains information on...

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