THE CAST IRON NYC SEALS FROM THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY - 1930 18" Diameter

HISTORY OF THE CAST IRON NYC SEALS
FROM THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY
The story of the creation and the rescue of the Cast Iron Seals which once graced the West Side Highway reflects both the historical development of New York City and the development of the Art-deco period of American Art and Architecture.

In order to insure the beautification of the West Side Highway as a scenic drive, the Art Commission of the City of New York commissioned the preparation of reproductions of five City Seals for use as architectural ornaments on the Highway. Each of the reproductions reflected an official seal of the City adopted at a particular time in its development. They were to be mounted at regular intervals and in a particular ordered pattern along the exterior walls of the Highway. The architectural firm of Sloan & Robertson was selected for the project.

Preliminary designs of the Cast Iron Seals were approved by the Art Commission on April 27, 1928, with approval of the final models on July 30, 1930. In the same year, The Art Commission approved specially-mixed paint to bronze the seals-- "...a mixture of yellow ochre and raw umbre"
The modeling and casting of the Seals were executed in the sculptor's studio. Each seal pattern was designated by a letter of the alphabet - A, B, C, D, and E - which was cast in the back of the seal to insure its proper placement when installed.
This seal is "D" inscribed on back.
When demolition of the Highway became necessary in the 1970s, the Art Commission acted to preserve as much of the decorative detail as possible. On February 14, 1977, the Commission directed that 25 sets of the Seals be preserved and stored for possible future use, and that, before disposing of the balance, the Commissioner of Highways offer sets of the Seals to the Museum of the City of New York, the Museum of the State of New York, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution. The remaining Seals were to be disposed of "...in such manner as would best assure their preservation..." and not be sold as scrap metal.
18 " diam 2 1/2" very heavy on stand weighs about 60 lbs.

3%

Judith Pitcher | (203) 376-0658 | Jpitcher0215@gmail.com

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Private Residence

Middlebury, CT 06762

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Saturday, 8/26, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

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