Small Souvenir Buildings

Previously, I've written about small building including microscopic architecture and buildings which were literally on the head of a pin. However, what are some small, yet practical souvenir buildings to include in your collection? I've seen an Ellis Island Building on top of thimble. The makers mark is W.A.P.W. and was produced in the U. K. There are some very small Empire State Buildings and Statue of Liberty metal replicas I found many years ago in N.Y.C. These are only the size of a penny. Even smaller are charm bracelet charms have also become a popular collectable for souvenir building buyers. Do you collect smaller souvenir building replicas or do you only buy larger sizes? Do you collect replicas which are to scale of the real structure?

Flat Souvenir Buildings

With just a length and height, some souvenir replicas are missing that third dimension - width. It baffles me why a manufacturer would settle for just a thin version and not reproduce an entire structure. Are they trying to fashion the buildings after supermodels? Was the building gazing into one of those fun house mirrors which make you appear razor thin? Sometimes just the facade is represented, while other miniature buildings are squished. You've all seen the very common flattened version of the U.S. Capital. The Disney Concert Hall gift shop sells a 2-D pewter version of its building. A miniature facade of The Torre de Belem in Lisbon, Portugal measures 2.5" x 5.25“ x 5" tall. The Milwaukee Art museum also produced thin souvenir replica paperweight of its building which is available on the museum's website for $28. Most replicas of The Sagrada Familia (Gaudy Cathedral) are of just the main towers and nothing behind them. What do you think of these 2-D replicas? Do you know of other 'flat' souvenirs that just are quite all there?

The $176,000 Souvenir Building

When the gavel fell at Sotheby's auction house in 2003, the selling price of the large bronze column replica was $176,000 including the buyers premium. This may be the most expensive souvenir replica and one of the largest at 5 feet 9 inches by 10 inches wide (175cm by 25.5cm). Reader David W. alerted me to this sale. This must be the most expensive souvenir building / monument sold thus far. Looks like it was formerly owned by Fashion Designer Bill Blass. The 'miniature,' if you can call it that, is a 19th Century replica of Napoleon's Column surmounted by an effigy of Napoleon I. The real monument column was erected for Napoleon I in the Place Vendôme, Paris. Constructed between 1806-1810, it was designed by Denon, Gondouin and Lepère in the style of Trajan's Column of Rome. It was created from the bronze of cannons which had been captured at the Battle of Austerlitz (1805) and the spiral bronze bas-relief, commemorating Napoleon I's victories, was created by Bergeret. The column was originally surmounted by a statue of Napoleon dressed as Caesar, crowned with a laurel leaf and holding a globe in one hand. This statue was replaced during the Restoration with a likeness of Henry IV, this was then removed when Napoleon returned from Elba. Later, on the instruction of Louis Philippe, the statue was replaced by the figure of Napoleon dressed as seen on the offered lot, wearing a coat and his famous bi-corn hat. Napoleon III later altered the monument to its original form showing Napoleon clad as Caesar. Reader Scott D. wrote about other versions of this replica recently as well.

R.I.P. Texas Stadium

Former home of the Dallas Cowboys Football Team, Texas Stadium, was imploded last weekend. The demolition was became an event complete with Fireworks. It's a bit odd that we celebrate with much fanfare the demolition of buildings these days. Out with the old to build something new with no sense of history. Texas Stadium was home of the Dallas Cowboys for 38 years. The sentiment of those who attended the distraction felt the old place was great in its day, but past its prime - especially since the Cowboys moved to the new $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington after the 2008 season. The old stadium, built for $35 million in 1971, was quickly turned to ruins under a swirling cloud of dust after 55 detonating blasts. Texas Stadium is only one of many arenas to reach the end of a lifespan in recent years. Shea Stadium in Queens, N.Y., was home to the New York Mets baseball team for 44 years before it was demolished in 2008. At Capital Centre arena in Maryland near Washington, D.C., crowds of more than 18,000 watched hockey and basketball games and enjoyed performances by Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson over the years. Dynamite destroyed that arena in 2002. In February 2010, Giants Stadium in

East Rutherford, N.J., was demolished after 34 years of service. Treasure seekers hoping to cash in on those nostalgic for the Texas Stadium tried to auction rubble from the explosion on eBay. However, it seems some of the debris was posted for sale even before the stadium was distorted. I don't know if a metal souvenir replica of the Texas Stadium was ever produced. There are a number of versions of resin replicas available online.

National Bank of Commerce Inkwell

This rare souvenir building replica of a Kansas City, Missouri bank is made of lead and finely detailed. One of these inkwells, despite having a small hole on one side, sold on eBay for $826. The top has the words, "National Bank of Commerce, June 1908, Kansas City Mo." The top flips up to reveal a glass insert for ink. It measures 3 1/4" tall x 23 9/16" wide x 2" deep. The real Commerce Bank traces its beginnings to 1865 when Francis Reid Long came to Kansas City with $10,000 capital to start the Kansas City Savings Association. By 1890, the bank, then named the National Bank of Commerce, was the largest bank west of Chicago. IN 1908, George A. Fuller, Co. designed a new Head Quarters made of concrete, granite, brick, asphalt and terra cotta. Today, Commerce Bank, also known as the Commerce Trust Company Building, is a Missouri-based company with headquarters in Kansas City and St. Louis, operates in five states: Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Colorado. Commerce Bank has always been an innovator. In 1928, the Company began the first 24-hour transit department in the country. This helped speed up the transit of checks between banks. The 1984, the bank introduced 'Special Connections,' the first card in the market to have the combined features of a credit card and ATM card, was introduced.

Brad's Collection and Display

Occupying an entire wall of his Northern Virginia home, Brad's collection just broke through the 1,000 souvenir buildings mark recently and is still growing. It all began when his significant other told him to get a hobby. Since he always enjoyed architecture, he began purchasing items from Dixie Trainer's website as well as building makers DJ and Microcosms n 2004. "I then found eBay." Brad said. "Lastly, I started with the antique stores and hobby shops - sort of the opposite of most collectors." What was his first replica? "I think it was the Petronas Towers from Microcosms. I am still glad I got this one, I have yet to see a Petronas more to scale and just hardy as this one." Why does he collect souvenir replicas? "I wish I knew." Brad said. "I can't explain why but I enjoy just starring at the collection, holding the little fellas in my hands, it sort of makes you feel bigger than what you are. When you hold say a Comcast Center replica in your hands then stand at the base of the real building, it's just neat." Brad specializes in TV Towers and Russian/Commie Kitsch miniature replicas. When asked, which is your favorite and why? Brad replied, "It varies depending on the day. Right now I am keen on a 25" very heavy Berlin Fernmeldeturm replica that lights up via an internal 225v bulb. I have also had my days liking Stockholm City Hall (90s 7" replica). I am also quite fond of replicas I obtain while on trips," He said. "I bought about 10 buildings during a 2-week trip in Germany a few years back. I packed them very tightly in my luggage and securely. Then, I got to Heathrow (this is why I refuse to fly through Heathrow anymore). They made me take everything out, rummaged through everything, left the buildings out all over the inspection station, then just said, "OK you can go" and left me having to repack everything which took me 45 minutes. I almost missed my flight if it hadn't been for a very nice USAir employee who let me hop on their little Cushman and drove me to the gate which was in a totally different terminal! During the trip, the employee driving told me she saw a Milan Cathedral replica I bought (not a very nice one, was resin) and she grew up not far from it in Italy - so I gave it to her. Of course, had it been a metal or antique one, I think I would've thought twice." These days, Brad acquires his souvenir building from eBay and friends overseas. "I have given up on finding anything in local antique stores." Recently, Brad believes eBay has become overpriced and he does not obtain as much joy from buying via eBay as he used to. "It's all very "cut-throat" and nothing is worse than losing an auction on an item only to find someone else re-list that same item on their own eBay site for twice as much. But, that's Ebay," He says. To display his collection, he uses 'Detolf' cabinets from Ikea for reasons of building preservation. "I have to have enclosed cases because of 4 cats. It also cuts down on the dust, but it does put a damper on picking them up. People tend to be afraid of things behind glass." While Brad is a member of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society, he has not made it to a convention yet. "It always falls on an annual vacation date." As his collection grows, Brad has now been focusing on more antique replicas. Click through the photo gallery below to see Brad's impressive collection.

The Place Vendome Column

Building Collector reader and guest writer Scott D. penned this exploration of the history and souvenir variety of the column in Paris which goes by many names. It's listed in the Monument Miniatures book as Colonne d' Austerlitz (#705).

"Napoleon had this column erected to celebrate the French victory of Austerlitz in 1805. The column at times has been referred to at the Column of Austerlitz as well as Napoleon’s column. Modeled after Trajan's Column in Rome, the bronze veneer of 425 spiraling bas-reliefs were made out of cannon taken from the combined armies of Europe. According to some account as many 1250 cannons were used, but the figure was hugely exaggerated as only 133 cannon were actually captured at Austerlitz. These plates were designed by the sculptor Pierre-Nolasque Bergeret and executed by a team of sculptors including Jean Joseph Foucou, Louis-Simon Boizot, François Joseph Bosio, Lorenzo Bartolini, Claude Ramey, Francois Rude, Corbet, Clodion and Henri-Joseph Ruxthiel. The Column itself was designed by Denon, Gondouin and Lepere and the monument was constructed from 1806 – 1810. Originally a statue of Napoleon as Caesar, bare-headed, crowned with laurels and holding a sword in this right hand and a globe surmounted with a statue of Victory in this left hand, was atop the column. In 1814, taking advantage of the Allied occupying force, a mob of men and horses had attached a cable to the neck of the statue of Napoleon atop the column, but it had refused to budge - one woman quipped "If the Emperor is as solid on his throne as this statue is on its column, he's nowhere near descending the throne." After the Bourbon Restoration, the statue was pulled down and melted to provide the bronze for the recast equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf (as was bronze from sculptures on the Column of the Grande Armée at Boulogne-sur-Mer. This statue was removed and replaced with a huge French flag during the 100 day (1815) when Napoleon returned from Elba and attempted to regain power. Afterwards, Louis XVIII installed an enormous fleur-de-lys. Later a replacement statue of Napoleon was erected by Louis-Philippe in military dress (a tricorn hat, boots and a redingote), and a better, more augustly classicizing one by Louis-Napoleon (later Napoleon III). During the Paris Commune in 1871 the Vendome Column was under attack. Painter Gustave Courbet proposed the column to be disassembled and re-erected in the Hôtel des Invalides. Courbet argued that: "Inasmuch as the Vendome column is a monument devoid of all artistic value, tending to perpetuate by its expression the ideas of war and conquest of the past imperial dynasty, which are reproved by a republican nation's sentiment, Citizen Courbet expresses the wish that the National Defense government will authorize him to disassemble this column." The column was taken and later re-erected. Rather than pay for its re-erection, as he was ordered, Courbet died (1877) in exile in Switzerland. During 1873 - 1874, the column was reestablished three years later in the center of Place Vendôme with a copy of the original Napoleon Cesar statue on top. It is interesting to note that the Salon Napoleon of the Hôtel des Monnaies contains a model of the column and a bronze mask of Napoleon copied from his plaster death mask. The miniature versions of the Column are Grand Tour pieces. They come in many different sizes and many are made out of bronze mounted on marble bases. Some have thermometers to make them more useful than just a paperweight. I’ve noticed over the years that some of these thermometers have been replaced by alcohol red thermometers and not the original silver mercury type. With the history of the column, we can figure out the time the miniature versions were made. Souvenir column miniatures with the “Cesar” Napoleon were from 1810-1815 and then from 1852 to present. The giant fleur-de-lys was on top of the souvenir monument from 1815 to about 1848. Then from 1848-1852 Napoleons in Military dress. I find that most miniature column replicas are of this variety. Some other interesting grand tour versions of this monument are ones that the column is done in granite and very large. One bronze piece has a version of Napoleons Tomb in the inside. Recently, I’ve had Anthony Tremblay restore the broken Vendome Column in my collection and in the process of the restoration he came across an inscription on the back of the thermometer plate. We are trying to see if we can find out any additional information from the inscription. It could be the maker’s signature letting us know his pride in making such a detailed and wonderful piece. If you’re lucky enough to have one in your collection you know what a nice piece this souvenir replica columns is." - Scott.

Empire State Building Shoes

These shoes were made for walkin' There gonna walk all over new. New York that is. With replicas of the Empire State building as heels, Geox is launching a limited-edition line of shoes this month. The shoes will step you back $230 and will be sold at the Geox’s store on West 34th Street, just across from the landmark that inspired them. Styles include a leopard-print peep-toe and a purple sequined pump. Geox is paying homage to New York and its history, “with its thousands of lights and illuminated skyscrapers which form an incomparable and perfect skyline.” The bridge and tunnel crowd could be stylin' in these shoes during their commute. Lets just hope they don't fall, King Kong like, from the sky-scraping 5″ heels. Turns out, others have also been inspired by the building and shoe combination like this Chrysler Building heel drawing.

Easter Egg City

If, as a child, you searched for hidden Easter eggs, what would you have thought about discovering an entire city of eggs? An exhibit at an art gallery in Kiev displayed building replicas made of colored eggs. The almost 17,000 eggs were used to create Saint Sophia Cathedral and a city of castles Kamenets-Podolsky. The roof of the cathedral was painted gold. Stacking eggs on end must be more delicate than building a house of cards. The individual eggs from this Ukrainian egg city were given away as souvenirs after the show closed. Now those must be unusual souvenirs. The tradition of Ukrainian painted eggs also include hand-painted church designs. Speaking of eggs, I've written in the past about those famous and fabulous Faberge eggs. If you're hungry, check out chocolate architecture and other buildings. Last easter, Scott wrote about the Tomb of Christ replica.