Miniature Replicas of Just the Tops of Buildings

‘A little off the top.’ It’s something you might say to your barber, but must have also been said to miniature building producers. Sometimes just the top of a building is reproduced as a souvenir, bank or award. Perhaps because the top can stand on its own and is still recognizable, I’ve also seen replicas of just the top of the Chrysler building and the U.S. Capitol dome.  Bankers Trust, and the Philadelphia National Bank are other examples. Do you know of others?   

St. Peter's Basilica Souvenir Buildings

With the election of a new Catholic Pope, the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica have been in the news a great deal. Miniature replicas of the church have been made over the years for a constant-flow of tourists. From very large to small and created in various materials, souvenir buildings of St. Peter's Basilica have always been popular. Some replicas depict solely the basilica, while others include Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s full Tuscan colonnades of St. Peter’s Square and the four-thousand-year-old Egyptian obelisk in the center. Bernini’s Colonnade design are four-columns deep, which are meant to embrace visitors in "the maternal arms of Mother Church."

V&A Museum’s Architectural Models

Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, The V&A museum covers 12.5 acres and is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. The Established in 1852, the London museum spans a wide-range of art of all materials and media. Searching their online archives, I discovered many amazing and historic architectural replicas and models in their permanent collection. A model of the Tempietto of San Pietro in Montorio, Rome is carved from walnut and pearwood. A miniature replica of the memorial to Prince Albert, which stands in Kensington Gardens, London. Carved wooden model of the Miyan Khan Chishti mosque in Ahmadabad. Plaster and wax model for the Wellington Monument in St Paul's Cathedral. This model of a tomb at Palmyra, was probably made by Jean Pierre Fouquet and François Fouquet in Paris in about 1820. This is an architectural model, made of cork, represents the Temple of Concord, in Agrigento, Sicily. This model appeared at the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley in 1924. This is an architectural model of the Temple of the Winds, Athens. It was made of plaster with hidden iron supports by Jean Pierre Fouquet. Miniature replica of Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya, which is the holiest of Buddhist pilgrim sites. Carved sandalwood model of the prayer niche in an Ahmadabad mosque. Brass models of a Sumatran rice barns. Plaster model of the triumphal arch, known as the Arch of Constantine, in the grounds of the Coloseum, Piazzale del Colosseo in Rome. Marble Arch stands at the top of London's Park Lane, but originally located outside Buckingham Palace. A cast plaster replica is in the V&A’s collection. 

Souvenir Buildings as Advertisement

In my humble opinion, it is an astute business leader indeed who commissions a company advertisement in the shape of a building. Think about it…clients are given a well-made replica of a landmark and what do they do? They display it proudly on their desks as a reminder to them and to others who visit their office. I’ve collected photos and information of some advertisement building replicas with photos and info below. If you know of others, send me some photos and I’ll add it to this grouping. 

The Grue Guild Watches store display is a building replica made of metal. The engraved text reads, “Display feature wrist watch on regular velvet box pad here” and “display copy-card pocket watch and regular velvet box pad here.” The metal display is a replica of the Gruen office & factory. The Gruen Watch Company was formerly one of the largest watch manufacturers in the United States. It was in business from about 1894 to 1958 and was based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In the 1930’s & 40’s, Patent and Trademark Attorney A. Clarence O'Brien advertised his services via two finely made metal paperweights of the U.S. Capitol dome and the Supreme Court building. Both were produced by the A.C. Rehberger Company. According to the capital replica's base, O’Brien had an office “opposite the U.S. Patent office in Washington, D.C.” The Supreme Court replica advertised an office address in New York’s Woolworth Building. While the originals are difficult to find, these replicas were recast in the 1990’s from Rehberger molds, but have a different finish. 

I’ve seen two different versions of a replica of Egypt’s Sphinx, which was also made by Rehberger, that are promotional advertisements. One advertises ‘Miller, Franklin, Basset and Company New York,’ which was an accounting and engineering firm in New York City. The company may have used the Sphinx due to the ancient engineering feat it took to build the structure and the money it took to construct. I’ve also seen references to this company with ‘Sphinx Talks,’ which may be a publication. Another version is nearly identical except for the writing on the base. “Ask the Spinks” C.C. Spink & Son St. Louis, Mo.” is clearly a play on words of the two similar names. C.C. Spink & Son were magazine and book publishers including an early Sporting News.  

A small replica of Charminar has words on its base, which read, “The Vazir Sultan Tobacco Company Limited Silver Jubilee 1930-1955.” 

A brass replica of the Statue of Liberty has on its base, “Liberty National Life Insurance Company. Frank P. Samford, President. September 1958.” 

A Metal replica of the Washington Monument has words on its base, which read, “First in building usefulness McGrath Sand and Gravel Lincoln Illinois.”

Artist Holly Lane’s Architectural Sculpture & Frames

Northern California artist Holly Lane creates both sculpture and paintings with ornate architectural frames. Her sculptures look like tabletop collections of miniature monument. 

St. Louis World's Fair Festival Hall Beer Stein

Every stylish building collector during the turn of the last century bellied up to the bar with one of these beauties to get his or her drink on. This rare antique metal souvenir is a beer stein from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The miniature building on top of the stein is a replica of Festival Hall, the domed centerpiece of the fair that stood atop a hill. This souvenir building miniature has a bronze finish with good detail, showing the columns, windows, and even the stairways and Cascades fountain in front. The miniature building on top is hinged to the back of the stein, acting as the cover. The stein is embossed with reliefs of Renaissance men and women. The stein has the words, "WORLD'S FAIR - ST. LOUIS 1904" and stands almost 5" tall on a 2" diameter round base.