Design 
22 October 2020
Design 
261

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

stair riser from the Chicago Stock Exchange

Winslow Brothers
USA, 1893
electro-plated copper finish over cast iron 7¼ h × 42¾ w × 1 d in (18 × 109 × 3 cm)
estimate: $2,000–3,000
result: $1,750
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The copper-plated stair risers of the Chicago Stock Exchange Building’s staircase feature an unusual incised geometry-based ornamentation. The flatness facilitated easy cleaning, and prevented damage to the copper plating from shoe scuffs.
provenance: Chicago Stock Exchange | Private Collection

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Enduring Modernist Designs

from the Chicago Stock Exchange Building

As with the forces of nature that inspired him, architect Louis H. Sullivan's work is about all parts relating to the whole. Salvage of decorative elements from his buildings' elevators was erratic, with little consideration given to preserving entire assemblies to represent Sullivan's all-inclusive design concept. Some of the most sought-after elements come from the Chicago Stock Exchange Building, a significant Adler & Sullivan skyscraper completed in 1894 and tragically demolished after a heated preservation battle in 1972. Ornamental items from the building are notable for their delicate, fluid, openwork metal and the way that they combine natural and geometric forms.

Chicago Stock Exchange Building, c. 1894
Image Credit: Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection

All elements were manufactured to Sullivan's custom designs by the Winslow Brothers Company in Chicago. Winslow Brothers was Sullivan's longtime preferred fabricator for his ornamental metalwork, based on their ability to create art-grade elements in the mass production necessary for large-scale architectural projects.

Elevator at the Chicago Stock Exchange. Image Credit: Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

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During their partnership, Dankmar Adler and Louis H. Sullivan created some of the ground breaking and influential buildings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Adler specialized in the engineering side of the business, which allowed Sullivan to work primarily as the designer on their projects. Together they completed many notable structures including the famous Wainwright Building (St. Louis, 1891), the Schiller Building (Chicago, 1891) and the James Charnley House (Chicago, 1891–1892). However, it was the Chicago Stock Exchange, built at the height of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, that was undoubtedly the magnum opus of their career. The interior of the building was decorated with lavish organic designs inspired by the flora and fauna of the prairie landscape exemplary of their uniquely Midwestern style of Art Nouveau. Although the partnership ended in 1895, Adler and Sullivan forever changed the architectural landscape of Chicago with more than 180 buildings designed during the 15 years they worked together.

Auction Results Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

Important elevator surround from the Chicago Stock Exchange

estimate: $150,000–200,000

result: $161,000

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

elevator screen from the Chicago Stock Exchange

estimate: $30,000–40,000

result: $122,500

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

Elevator door from the Chicago Stock Exchange

estimate: $30,000–50,000

result: $77,500

Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan

elevator door from the Chicago Stock Exchange

estimate: $20,000–30,000

result: $76,900

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