Original sculpture modelled by Randall,

202 shown in the Buff Yellow finish;

The sculpture has a projecting shelf just wide enough to support a small decorative item or knick-knack.

Below is the same keystone in the Old Limestone Grey finish, this shows how a completely different "look" is affected by choice of the finish.

Below are some photos of my clay model during it's finishing stages

Please read the entire page, it contains details on finishes, shipping and many answers to the more common questions people have

202 Eldridge Street on Manhattans Lower East Side had 4 of these same keystones on the 4th floor that I removed around 1977. The building was built circa 1899

The keystone depicts a young girl child with a "bib" consisting of the classical acanthus leaf motif. This keystone is smaller than typical because there was a spandrel panel above each of them under the windowsills on the floor above.

This keystone was probably made by the major company that supplied much of these to architects in New York City- The Atlantic Terra Cotta Co on Staten Island. It was hand pressed clay, fired in a huge kiln heated by dirty coal, it was then transported to the building by ship up the Hudson River from the factory, and then completed its voyage on the back of a wagon pulled by horses.

Once installed, she looked down on the street for decades, dirty coal soot from coal burning back then quickly permanently stained building facades, especially the unglazed terra cotta like this. Falling ice, hail, or debris during construction often damages the projecting corners of these keystones, and more damage occurs during demolition from falling bricks and lumber. Layers of paint also were often applied over the deacades to "clean" up the appearance of the facades.

By around the 1910s these tenement buildings were no longer built, and with their demise also went a considerable amount of these keystones and other Victorian era ornaments that were designed to decorate these small buildings.

Soon, with architects like Sullivan, Wright and others came the more streamlined facades, the Art Deco period, taller, wider and having only accents here and there on the facade, and finally the entire architectural terra cotta industry as it existed- over 100 companies built up solely around the concept of decorating building facades- were largely gone and defunct by WWll

The sculpture is a wall hanging piece and comes with a bar hook embedded in the back. It really is a charming and very interesting piece.

All four originals were sold years ago, however, with known measurements and photos I re-created the design myself in clay. Now you can own a cast-stone copy to decorate your home. This design will be offered in two ways- full depth as shown which is suitable for embedding in a wall when ordered in concrete (20% additional cost) or reduced depth for the interior cast-stone wall hanging.

The model is made exactly like the original in every way, including the inset mortar keyways on the sides.

The model has a little projecting cornice which can hold small objects as a shelf.

SIZE: Nominal 14-1/2" high by 12-1/4" wide at the top, 4" deep for the reduced depth version and 8" deep for the full depth version.

General information etc applicable to all of my sculptures

NOTE: My standard cast-stone is for INTERIOR OR UNDER A COVERED PORCH/SUN ROOM ONLY! Out in the garden they might last 4 or 5 years, maybe longer before showing weathering damage.

1. If you are looking for something to place in the garden or build into a wall, I offer concrete as a special order item which takes approx 3 weeks. Not all pieces are available in concrete, inquire before ordering.
   
2. All of these sculptures have a heavy wire embedded on the back to hang them on the wall.
   
3. I own the originals, copyrights in most cases, and the molds, I can produce any quantity and custom configurations as well.
   
4. All of my sculptures are personally hand-cast in my home studio not drop shipped from some commercial catalogue place in China, they are signed, numbered and dated. These are finished to order at the time of purchase.

FINISHES AVAILABLE

1. Old Dirty Bronze (metallic)
   
2. Old Dirty Nickel (metallic)
   
3. Dirty limestone grey- varies from near black to very light grey.
   
4. Buff yellow.
   
5. Red terra cotta.

SHIPPING

I use FedEx ground service for all shipments in the lower 48 states. I no longer ship outside the US.

Username: client
PW: mail

FINISHES ON INTERIOR CAST

Old Limestone Grey $58.00 Buff Yellow $58.00 Red TerraCotta $58.00

Instructions if any

CONCRETE

CONCRETE PLAIN $69.00 CONCRETE ACID STAINED $69.00

Instructions if any