1410-1418 S. Wabash


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1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: Mercer52 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: June 11, 2013 09:46PM

Can anyone tell me more about this building? It's decorated with all kinds of terra cotta--frogs, turtles, octopus, crabs, etc. COC Landmarks website says it was built in the 1920s, Peter J. Weber, architect. However, I found an old advertisement that lists J & J Kohn Furniture at that site in 1916. I suppose that could have been an older building that was replaced by the current one. Would love to know more. Thanks.

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: PKDickman (---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: June 11, 2013 10:14PM

That is the Central Market Furniture Building.
It was sort of an early Merchadise Mart for furniture,
A number of furniture companies had their show rooms there.

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: Mercer52 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: June 12, 2013 12:44AM

Thanks for the ID! Any idea why it's decorated with sea creatures and other animals?

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: PKDickman (---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: June 12, 2013 02:37PM

Mercer52 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the ID! Any idea why it's decorated
> with sea creatures and other animals?

I have no idea.
Never even noticed it before until you brought it up.

However, about a year ago, I was at Architectural Artifacts dropping off some repairs. The manager showed me an elevator grill that was decorated with crabs and starfish and shocks of wheat, and asked me if I had any guesses as to what building it came from.

I had no clue, but now I wonder if it came from this one.

I'll have to swing down there one of these days and take a closer look.

Here's a link to the IHPA report on the building from the 70's
[url=http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/Reports/PropertyInformationReport.aspx?refnum=151264]IHPA 1410 S Wabash[/url]

Not a lot of information, but there there is a photo from the 70's.

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: Mercer52 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: June 12, 2013 07:24PM

Thanks for all your help, PK!

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: WayOutWardell (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: June 12, 2013 10:01PM

I found that before the Wabash building, Peter J Weber, who once worked for Burnham, oversaw the 1907 addition to the Fisher Building. So, apparently, he had a thing for aquatic forms in terra-cotta.

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Re: 1410-1418 S. Wabash
Posted by: Mercer52 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: June 13, 2013 02:09PM

That's really interesting, WOW. Thanks!

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