original undated richard nickel silver gelatin photograph or print depicting the facade of adler and sullivan’s chicago stock exchange building – hand-signed on the verso with name and address

About This Item

important c. 1960’s original 8 x 10 inch richard nickel silver gelatin print featuring the non-extant chicago stock exchange building facade designed bt dankmar adler and louis h. sullivan in 1894. the print was likely taken around the time nickel was pursuing graduate work under the guidance of instructor aaron siskind at the institute of design, which was apart of the illinois institute of technology. nickel and fellow students including, but not limited to, david norris, chuck swedlund and len gittleman were working feverishly to document any and all adler and sullivan buildings before demolition – which at the time, was happening at a feverish pace beginning in the 1950’s. many more buildings would fall to the wrecking ball throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s at the height of urban renewal or “slum clearance.” the black and white chicago stock exchange photograph contains a hand-signed signature and address (1508 grove avenue, park ridge, il.) on the print verso. the original negative is likely held at the richard nickel committee archive. this may very well be the only existing print created from the negative by nickel himself. tragically, richard nickel lost his life in this building in 1972 (during demolition) while salvaging ornament.