george grant elmslie-designed thomas. a edison school building “snowflake” terra cotta exterior ornament with red slip glaze finish – william hutton with george elmslie, architects

About This Item

resized 1936 natural beige clay ornamental single-sided terra cotta panel salvaged from the non-extant thomas a. edison school located at calumet ave. & 170th street in hammond, in. the “sullivanesque” style exterior terra cotta frieze panel was originally located along the upper band course of the school building’s facade cornice. the symmetrically-arranged terra cotta block consists of strong geometric designs combined with intricate organic elements. the unique and distinctive “snowflake” design element was used above the school’s entrance, in the form of a perforated ornamental cast aluminum grille. fabricated by the midland terra cotta company, chicago, il. the school’s principal architect was william hutton, with george grant elmslie designing the decorative elements. the clay modeler was fritz albert. the “snowflake” cornice panel contains a muted red slip glaze finish, with crazing and surface evident. the hallowed cavities on the backside have been removed to make the terra cotta block more manageable for display purposes. measures 27 x 24 inches.