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Souvenir Building Collectors now have a chance to find a vintage souvenir replica inside a building of which there is a miniature model. Reader and collector Howie G. sent me this link about the Brooklyn Flea Market which recently moved into the Williamsburgh Savings Bank. Renting 20,000 square feet on the ground floor, the flea market will now be in a classy location unlike many flea's which live in parking lots, empty fields and old dogs. As you may know, a ceramic pen holder desktop replica of this bank's clock tower exists. The replica may have been produced in the 1960's and stands 7.25 inches tall. The white ceramic replica, which has a pen holder attached to the base, depicts just the clock tower portion of the skyscraper. The real Williamsburgh Savings Bank building is now called One Hanson Place. It dominates the area's skyline at 37 stories and 512 feet (156 m) tall. It was built in 1927 by the architectural firm Halsey, McCormack and Helmer in a modernized (Art Deco) Byzantine Romanesque style. The dramatic 63-feet-high vaulted lobby is faced with limestone and marble with mosaics and huge tinted windows containing silhouetted iron cutouts of workers and students. The building also features a gilded copper dome, carved lions, turtles and birds on the exterior, 40-foot windows, elaborate mosaic and two observation decks and clock tower. Despite the grand design and expensive materials, the architect wrote at the time of the building's opening that he wanted the building "to be regarded as a cathedral dedicated to the furtherance of thrift and prosperity." The building was renamed and changed hands many times from the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, then Republic National Bank and HSBC Bank. In 2006, Magic Johnson converted the building to luxury condominiums. In 2008, CJ Follini and Noyack Medical Partners purchased the commercial half of this skyscraper. The building was declared a landmark in 1977. Today, One Hanson Place is renting the former bank lobby space for large events and selling condos. So, you could not only own a souvenir replica of this structure, but also own a piece of the real building by living there.
The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper is reporting that the New York-based owners of Sears Tower in downtown Chicago are considering painting the entire building silver. The well-known black skyscraper has been part of the Chicago skyline since 1973 and is now the tallest building in the United States. Thoughts are that the expensive paint job could draw fresh attention to the tower, 
which has struggled to hold tenants as newer generations of office buildings are built. Silver could figure into a broader effort to "rebrand" the building and highlight its advances in energy efficiency. A spokesperson for the owners said, "We are actively looking for even more ways to save energy and improve the building," he said. "We are still examining our options and any details at this point would be speculative." Switching to a lighter tint to complement the silver could cost $50 million, "and right now there's not enough money in the universe for that," said a source familiar with the tower. Unlike the real structure, Sears Tower Souvenir buildings already come in different colors. A gold-finished Sears Tower pencil sharpener from the 1970’s was made in Japan. Banthrico produced a 7.5 inch copper colored bank building also in the early 70’s. Other versions include a 5-inch pewter replica, a 7.25 inch plastic tower and a sterling silver charm. In 1969, Sears, Roebuck & Co. was the largest retailer in the world, with about 350,000 employees. Sears executives decided to consolidate employees into one new building to be constructed on the western edge of Chicago's Loop. Designed by chief architect Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur
Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the real building opened in 1973.The fortunes of Sears & Roebuck declined in the 1970s as the company lost market share and its management grew ever more cautious.The Sears Tower itself was not the draw Sears hoped it would be, so the tower stood half-vacant for a decade as more office space was erected Chicago in the 1980s. The company was eventually forced to take out a mortgage on its signature building. Sears began moving its offices out of the Sears Tower in 1992 and had completely vacated the building by 1995. The Sears Tower has gone through several owners in the years since, but Sears has retained the naming rights for the building. It is now a multi-tenant office building with more than 100 different companies in residence, including major law firms, insurance companies and financial services firms.The building was the scene of some excitement when, in August 1999, French urban climber Alain "Spiderman" Robert, using only his bare hands and feet, scaled the building's exterior glass and steel wall to the top. A thick fog settled in near the end of his climb, making the last 20 floors of the building's glass and steel slippery. A Skydeck observation platform at the top of the Sears Tower allows visitors to get a similar, but safer spiders-eye view of the windy city. On a clear day, you can see four states - Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. What do you think about the idea of painting this iconic structure? Leave your thoughts via the ‘comments’ link below.
As the new President and First Family settle into their new residence, let’s explore the history, architecture and souvenir buildings of the White House. While not as popular with various souvenir makers as the U.S. Capital Building, the White House replicas are still varied in design and material. I’ve seen replica white houses made of pot metal, pewter, ceramic and resin. Functions include White House pencil sharpeners and antique lead coin banks. During the Reagan era, a White House jelly bean jars, were created to commemorate Ron’s love of the jellied candies. The real White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States and located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. In 1791, working with George Washington, artist and engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant prepared a city plan for Washington, D.C., reserving eighty-two acres for a "President’s Park.” Included in the L’Enfant’s original design was a "President’s Palace" was approximately four times the size of the present White House. Washington chose the deisng of Architect James Hoban, an Irishman living in South Carolina. Washington was not entirely pleased with the original Hoban submission, however; he found it too small, lacking ornament, and not fitting the nation's president. On Washington's recommendation the house was enlarged by thirty percent; a large reception hall, the present East Room, was added. This was likely inspired by the large reception room at Mount Vernon. The building Hoban designed is verifiably influenced by the first and second floors of Leinster House, in Dublin, Ireland, which later became the seat of the Oireachtas -the Irish parliament. The first official White House guide, published in 1962, suggested a link between Hoban's design for the South Portico, and Château de Rastignac, a neoclassical country house located in La Bachellerie in the Dordogne region of France and designed by Mathurin Salat. The structure is made of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style. Construction of the White House began in 1792 and was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800. The total cost was $232,372. The White House was the largest house in the United States until after the Civil War. On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops burned the White House in retaliation for an earlier burning of Canadian government buildings in York, Ontario, by the United States. Over its long history, the White House has undergone many changes and redesigns.Today, the White House has 132 rooms, including 16 family-guest rooms, 1 main kitchen, 1 diet kitchen, 1 family kitchen, and 35 bathrooms. The 6 floors make up approximately 55,000 square feet. The term White House is regularly used as a metonym for the Executive Office of the President of the United States and for the president's administration and advisors in general. The building was originally referred to variously as the "President's Palace", "Presidential Mansion", or "President's House" The earliest evidence of the public calling it the "White House" was recorded in 1811 A legend emerged that during the rebuilding of the structure white paint was applied to mask the burn damage it had suffered, giving the building its namesake hue. The name "Executive Mansion" was used in official contexts until President Theodore Roosevelt established the formal name by having "White House–Washington" engraved on the stationery in 1901.The Executive Mansion of the United States is far more than a temporary home for the family who lives there for four or eight years. It is now a museum containing priceless works of art and furnishings, a national monument open to 2 million tourists a year, a guest hotel for entertaining visitors of state and, in recent years, an impregnable fortress for protecting the life of the commander-in-chief." The property is owned by the National Park Service and in 2007 it was ranked second on the American Institute of Architects's List of America's Favorite Architecture. 
Every year for the last 100 years, an illuminated Waterford crystal ball has droped in New York City’s Times Square to celebrate the beginning of a new year. Did you ever wonder about the building from which the ball is dropped? Today, one can't enjoy the beauty of the architecture due to all of the advertising signs which completely covers the building. Infocus Tech sells a metal souvenir replica of The New York Times Building, now also known as both 1 Times Square and the Times Tower. This pewter replica stands 5-1/2 inches tall and is finished in antique pewter. Located at the heart of Times Square, 42nd and Broadway, the 25-story building was completed in 1905, this skyscraper was designed by Architects Eidlitz and Mackenzie. The building is currently used as a enormous billboard for various advertising and is unoccupied from the 3rd floor up. A million people gather to celebrate on New Year’s Eve in Times Square as the ball descends 77 feet (23 meters) over the course of a minute, coming to rest at the bottom of its pole at 12:00am. The Ball Drop stems from an old ritual in England when a descending Time Ball was a popular method of signaling noon to allow pocket watches and nearby at sea ships chronometer's to be reset daily. This tradition continues onward today in Washington D.C. at the United States Naval Observatory where it still drops a Time Ball down a flag pole every day at noon. The latest design of the New York's Time Ball is six feet in diameter and weighs 1,070 pounds. The spherical design is a geodesic dome covered with 504 Waterford crystal triangles and illuminated with 600 multi-colored light bulbs, 96 high intensity strobe lights and 92 rotating pyramid mirrors.
During a recent visit to Philadelphia, I stopped by this historic home of which a variety of souvenir versions have been produced over the years. Currently, a metal pencil sharpener replica of the Betsy Ross House is available. Interestingly, the various replicas all look the same in the front, but the older versions include different structures attached behind the main house. Most versions I’ve seen are about the same size, but are made of different materials (brass, lead and pot metal). An older brass version is also a coin bank. Built more in 1740, the building now known as The Betsy Ross House was home to not just Betsy, but to dozens of artisans and shopkeepers over the years before it was opened to the public as a museum in 1937. The "bandbox" style structure is designed with one room on each floor and a winding staircase stretching from the cellar to the upper levels. The building's front façade, with a large window on the first floor to display merchandise, and its proximity to the Delaware River, made it an ideal location for a business. In fact, the house served as both a business and a residence for many different shopkeepers and artisans for more than 150 years. The first floor front room was used as the workshop and showroom. The business owner and his or her family lived in the rest of the house. In the 18th century the house was occupied by a shoemaker, a shopkeeper, an apothecary and, of course, most famously, an upholsterer. It is believed that Betsy Ross lived here from 1773 to 1785. By the late 19th century most of the other colonial-era buildings that once stood on this block of Arch Street had been torn down and replaced with large industrial buildings and warehouses. Many people feared that Betsy's home would meet the same fate. In 1898, a group of concerned citizens established the American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association to raise money to purchase the house, restore it and open it as a public museum in honor of Betsy Ross and our first flag. To raise the money to purchase the house, members of the group sold lifetime memberships to the organization for 10 cents. 
This bank is one of just a few souvenir building replicas with the distinction of being reproduced by two different companies. Both A.C. Rehberger and Banthrico produced coin bank replicas of the Dollar Savings Bank. They look very similar, but until you pick them both up and compare them side by side do you notice the differences. The A.C. Rehberger version has much finer detail and it has the slot (for coins) and the hole (for bills) on top. Also a bit heavier, the Reheberger has raised letters, whereas the Banthrico version’s letters are recessed. Rehberger version’s top reads, “This is your bank,” while the Banthrico has no words on its top. Along both bases is written: “The Dollar Savings Bank. Pittsburgh, PA. Organized in 1855. 330-344 Fourth Avenu
e.” On one side is: “The only mutual savings bank in Pittsburgh.and the other side reads: “A safe place for your savings.” Of course, the easiest way to tell the difference is the makers make and trap on the bottom. Architect Isaac H. Hobbes designed the real Dollar Savings Bank building which opened in March, 1871. This Connecticut brownstone hall housed the first mutual bank in Pittsburgh. Its most striking features are the Baroque facade composition of colossal Composite columns and Max Kohler's docile, life-sized lions at the front steps. The Dollar Bank building on Fourth Avenue is one of the very few original buildings in Pittsburgh's old financial district that's still used as a bank and it is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bank’s Trustees meant the new structure to last and to stand for something. They placed the stone lions at its gates as symbols of guardianship of the people's money. They thought of the lofty columns as bespeaking the institution's high aims. They began talking about the design it in 1860; and, before they were through, few business structures had received so much thought. Ah, those were the days when banks demonstrated their longevity and strength through sold columns and stable, long-lasting architecture. These days, financial institutions seem more interested in making a quick buck through risky schemes. 
Rowland Hussey Macy opened the doors of his "fancy dry goods store" in lower Manhattan in 1858. He was part of the movement which established Thanksgiving as the 4th Thursday in November and now defines the start of the holiday shopping season. In what’s become just as much of a tradition as turkey dinner with the family is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving’s Day Parade. This year is extra special as Macy’s Department Store is celebrating is 150 anniversary. Scott sent me the following info about Macy’s Store history and souvenirs. “Since 1924, Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square New York City, has been billed as the “World’s Largest Store.” The company produces the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which also started in 1924. Back in the 1920s, many of Macy's Department Store employees were first-generation immigrants who were very patriotic and proud of being new Americans. They wanted to celebrate the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festivals they had loved in Europe.In 1924, the Thanksgiving Day Parade began with Macy’s employees who dressed in vibrant costumes and marched together. There were also floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. With an audience of over a quarter of a million people, the parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event. Through the 1930s, the Parade continued to grow, with crowds of over one million lining the parade route in 1933. The annual festivities were broadcast on local New York radio through 1941.The parade was suspended for the duration of World War II, but resumed in 1945 using the route that it currently follows. The traditional parade became a permanent part of American culture after being prominently featured in the 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street. The event was first telecast nationally in 1952. Today, every Thanksgiving morning when you’re cooking the turkey, you can watch the parade.There are only three known version of the Macy’s Department Store building. Most versions of the building are hard to come by. One example is a 4” tall lithograph tin. It’s thought to have had candy or popcorn inside, when it was sold at the store in 1987. Another version is the resin version of the building. It’s a bit smaller than the tin box, but accurately depicts the Macy’s flagship store down to the large shopping bag. It is more crudely made and most likely comes from a manufacturer in China.The latest version is a current one that depicts the department store inside of a snow globe. Made for the Christmas season, it features the familiar Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons surrounding New York City buildings (including the twin towers of the Word Trade Center) as the snow swirls around them. The end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade signals the official start of the Christmas shopping rush. Maybe you should consider a version of this historic department store to get or give this upcoming holiday season.” – Scott
Scott’s Thanksgiving-themed trifecta of continues to another monument which honors Pilgrims. Click on photo above to get a closer view of the details and differences of these souvenirs.
“Another monument associated with the Pilgrims is the Pilgrim Monument located in Provincetown, Mass. It is where the Pilgrims first set foot on the soil of America (even though Plymouth Rock gets all the glory) and spent five weeks exploring the tip of Cape Cod before sailing on to where Plymouth Colony would be founded. The Cape Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association was founded in 1892 with a purpose is to commemorate the Mayflower Pilgrims’ first landing in the New World in November 1620. Also, the association commemorates the Mayflower Compact, which established the rule of law for the new land. With $92,000 raised for construction, the association decided to base the monument’s design on the bell tower or campanile of the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy. Architect Willard T. Sears designed what is still the tallest, all-granite structure in the United States at 252 feet. The Monument’s cornerstone was laid on August 20, 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt in a grand Masonic ceremony. Roosevelt traveled to Cape Cod for the ceremony by way of his home in Oyster Bay, Long Island on the presidential yacht, coincidentally named the Mayflower. By August of 1909, the monument was almost completed, except for the interior steps and ramps. This stair/ramp system was patterned after those in the campanile at San Marco in Venice, Italy. The San Marco had collapsed in 1902 and was being rebuilt at the same time the Pilgrim Monument was taking shape. The dedication in 1910 was held on August 5, the same date the Pilgrims set sail for America. On the day before the ceremony, the Atlantic Fleet of the U. S. Navy sailed into the harbor. Early that morning, President Taft was taken by carriage to the monument, and at 11 o’clock the dedication ceremony took place. Souvenir versions of the monument were made soon after the dedication. Many of the early versions are lead with bases showing part of the hill the monument is built upon. Some of these early versions were painted to reflect the way the real monument looks. There have been many different versions and sizes over the years. Currently, a Bates and Klinke pewter version for sale that is highly detailed and well worth the money. Spoontiques, a manufacturer and distributor of gifts and collectibles, currently has a 2 1/2" tall version as well. Planning for the 100th anniversary celebration of the tower has begun, with many events proposed in the coming year. It is no doubt that not only does the Pilgrim Monument serve as a reference point for sailors, but for landlubbers and souvenir building hunters as well.” –Scott.
I found this resin souvenir building recently and wanted to know what was the inspiration and where it resides. The city of Baku is the capital and largest city in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The most majestic and mysterious monument of Baku is Gyz Galasy, or “The Maiden Tower,” which was once called Göz Qalası or "The Eye Tower." The Maiden Tower is one of Azerbaijan's most distinctive national emblems, which is on Azeri currency notes. It houses a museum and a gift shop. The view from the roof takes in the alleys and minarets of the Old City, the Maritime National Park, the De Gaulle house and a wide vista of the Baku Bay. In recent years the brazier on the top has been lit during the nights of the Novrous festival. Constructed in the 12th century, or possibly earlier, the tower’s architectural style and construction sequence are obscure. Estimates for its age go back to an unlikely 2,500 years. It was built by the 12th century architect Masud ibn Davud, who was probably the father of the architect of Mardakan Round Tower. There are a number of competing explanations for the “Maden” name: One legend concerning a maiden who threw herself off its top, to her death in the waves below. Another idea stems from the fact that the tower has never been taken by force. Finally, some consider that it was once a watch tower. The old town area of Baku was originally on the shore of the Caspian Sea. Due to land reclamation in the early 20th century, the tower is now separated from the Caspian by a busy main road and public gardens.
While in Delaware this summer, I found this green ceramic souvenir of the monument commemorating the ship, “Kalmar Nyckel” in an antique store. I had never seen this souvenir, nor the real monument before, so I bought it to learn more about both. A label on the bottom of the 6-inch replica reads: “THE ROCKS. This reproduction of the monument carved by the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles marks THE ROCKS, the original landing place of the Swedes in America in late March of 1638, under Peter Minuit. Surmounting these rocks is a black granite column topped by a stylized was bearing a sculptured sailing ship. The vessel is a representation of the Swedish ship “Kalmar Nyckel” which brought the first Swedish settlers to America to establish one of the first permanent settlements in the new world at Wilmington Delaware. Made expressly for Delaware State Development Dept. J. J. Burris, Wilmington, Delaware.” That’s a lot of good information, but unfortunately, the replica is not dated. The real column and ship memorial is located at Fort Christina Park in Wilmington, Delaware. It commemorates the activities of Swedish colonists in the Delaware Valley. The ship at the top of the monument represents the Kalmar Nyckel, one of two vessels that brought the first Swedish colonists to America. Made of Swedish black granite, the column was paid for by donations from hundreds of thousands of Swedes and given as a symbol of friendship to Delaware and descendants of original settlers of the ‘New Sweden.” The first Swedish expedition to the New World landed at this site about March 29, 1638. It erected the first fortification in New Sweden, Fort Christina, around which grew the first permanent white settlement in the Delaware River Valley and the nucleus of Swedish settlement.
As General Motors Celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, I thought I’d research two souvenir buildings related to this company. The first is a large, 6” long and 3.5” tall, lead replica from the 1930s or 40s. On the front base is the word “Chevrolet” and on the back it reads “General Motors Building Detroit” Most I have seen have a dark or black finish, but I’ve also seen them painted gold. I reached out to GM’s historians to find out more about the souvenir building: When was it made, why were they produced and how many were created? Larry Kinsel of GM Communications wrote back: “Unfortunately, I've not been able to locate any information about the replica. We have received inquires before about these same pieces and were unsuccessful then as well. In fact I'd love to get my hands on one! I've checked with several sources here at GM and no ones seen the replica before. Sorry, I wish I had better news.” It seems that other, probably from the SBCS newsletter, have contacted them over the years requesting information also. The real building was completed in 1923. The original mammoth General Motors headquarters building is now called the “Cadillac Place.” Located at 3044 West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, it housed the company's world headquarters from 1923 until 1996. Rising 220 feet, the 15 story-structure has 31 elevators and was originally constructed with 1,200,000 square feet, but was later expanded to 1,395,000. Designed by architect Albert Kahn, each of the four-parallel wings connects to a central perpendicular backbone. Kahn used this design to allow sunlight and natural ventilation to reach each of the building's eighteen hundred offices. The stately structure is crowned with Corinthian colonnades. When it opened in 1923, it was the second largest office building in the world and symbolizes the power, prestige and scale of one of the largest manufacturing corporations in the world. Created to house a wide scope of activities under one roof, the building also contains an auditorium, exposition halls, as auto display rooms, shops, gymnasium, cafeteria and lounges. The limestone-faced, steel-frame structure is an example of Neo-Classical architecture.When GM moved its HQ in 1996 to the Renaissance Center, it sold the magnificent b
uilding and it’s now leased by the State of Michigan on a long term basis. In 2002, the building was thoroughly renovated for the State of Michigan and renamed it Cadillac Place. Currently, it houses over 2,000 state employees, the Michigan Court of Appeals for District I and the Detroit office for Michigan's governor. The second souvenir building is a replica of GM’s current headquarters, the GM Renaissance Center. It's a marble-looking resin from what I can tell with an ash tray to the side. The GM Renaissance Center, originally named the Renaissance Center and nicknamed the RenCen, is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Detroit, Michigan. Located on the International Riverfront, the complex is owned by General Motors and serves as its world headquarters. The central tower, called the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, is the tallest all-hotel skyscaper in the Western Hemisphere and features the largest rooftop restaurant, Coach Insignia. It has been the tallest building in Michigan since 1977. John Portman was the principal architect for the original design. The first phase constructed a five-building rosette, with a 73-story hotel surrounded by four 39-story office towers. This first phase officially opened in March 1977. Two additional 21-story office towers opened in 1981. This type of complex has been termed a city within a city. In 2003, General Motors completed a $500 million renovation for its headquarters in the Renaissance Center, which it had purchased in 1996. The renovation included the addition of the five-story Wintergarden.The Renaissance Center totals 5,500,000 square feet making it one of the world's largest office complexes. Do you know of other miniature building versions of these two structures? If so, let us know via the ‘comments’ link below.
This souvenir building replica has always been a favorite of mine. The copper-colored pot metal miniature stands four inches tall and is nicely detailed. These were most likely made in the 1960‘s and can still be found out and about, but no replicas are currently for sale at the memorial’s small gift shop. Recently, I took the time to take a tour of the memorial and learn more about it. The real building is a landmark in Alexandria, Virginia and sits atop a hill overlooking ‘old town’ and the Potomac River. Its main purpose of the Masonic Memorial is honoring and perpetuating the memory and character of George Washington who was a mason. Freemasonry was already old when a young George Washington became a member of the Fredericksburg, Va lodge in 1752. He remained a proud member and patron of “The Craft” – as Freemasonry is also called – his entire life. The George Washington Masonic Memorial is a museum, tourist attraction, research center, library, center for community activities, performing arts center, concert hall, banquet and celebration site, and a host location for visiting lodges. The Memorial’s mission is to educate and promote the virtues, character and vision of George Washington, the Man, the Mason and Father for Our Country. The Memorial also preserves American Masonic history and informs the public about Masonic affiliated and auxiliary organizations and charities. The Alexandria Masonic Lodge, to which Washington also belonged, began receiving objects from Washington’s family and associates soon after Mrs. Washington’s death in 1802. Desiring a suitable and fireproof Memorial for the Washington artifacts, the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia invited the Grand Lodges from around the country to gather in Alexandria on Washington’s birthday - February 22, 1910. The Memorial Association was formed, construction began in 1923 and the Memorial was dedicated in 1932 which was the bicentennial of Washington’s birth. Influenced by the classical architecture of Greece and Rome, the Memorial’s entrance is inspired by the Parthenon of Athens. The three sections of the tower rise in ascending levels of complexity with Doric columns at the lowest, Ionic in the middle, and Corinthian for the top section. The tower is capped with an Egyptian Pyramid, and surmounted with a stylized flame-like finial as a reference to the ancient lighthouses of Alexandria, Egypt. The Memorial is also the lighthouse of Freemasonry, spreading the light and knowledge of the fraturnatiy to the world. The top is an observation deck which provides a panoramic view of Alexandria, Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. Check out this Virtual tour of the memorial. Do you know of other versions of this Masonic Memorial? Let us know via the ‘comments’ link below. 
Without a home of its own from 1790 until 1935, members of the Supreme Court wished for a permanent building in the nation’s capital city. Former President and newly-appointed Chief Justice William Howard Taft finally made those dreams a reality for the third branch of government. In 1929 the chosen architect, Cass Gilbert, submitted sketches, plans and a large plaster model of his design for the highest court in the land.., The plaster model was sculpted by John Donnelly, Jr. who also designed the Cast bronze entrance doors of the building. The model was exhibited in the US Capital building for several months before construction began. The Supreme Court original plaster model is now on exhibit in the ground floor. Architect Cass Gilbert, a pioneer in building skyscrapers, found inspiration from ancient Rome when he designed the U.S. Supreme Court Building. The Neoclassical style was chosen to reflect democratic ideals. Its sculpted pediments tell allegories of justice and mercy. Vermont marble was used for the exterior, while the four inner courtyards are of crystalline flaked, white Georgia marble. The last project of Gilbert's career, Supreme Court Building became a team effort by members of his firm. Sadly, Gilbert died in 1934…one year before the Building was completed. I’ll post more soon about the Supreme Court’s gift shop and other replicas on display.
I was delighted to find this metal souvenir building in an antique store recently and was also surprised to learn the museum building still exists. Too often it seems, buildings from this era were torn down. The rare, low-profiled pot metal building replica was probably made in Japan in the 1960’s. Located in Chicago, the real Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) was originally built as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. The Palace of Fine Arts was designed by Charles B. Atwood and was constructed with a brick substructure benith a plaster facade. After the World's Fair, it initially housed the Columbian Museum, which evolved into the Field Museum of Natural History. After a series of other uses, the building became the science museum. During its conversion into the MSI, the building's exterior was re-cast in limestone, retaining its 1893 Beaux Arts style. Meanwhile, the interior was redesigned in Art Moderne style. In June of this year, the museum celebrated its 75th year.
This souvenir building coin bank was made in the 1930’s by A.C. Rehberger and a later replica was produced by Banthrico. The Rehberger has a distinctive point to the center tower, whereas, the Banthrico version’s tower does not come to a point. The building replicas were given away to customers who opened an account. The real Syracuse Savings Bank Building was designed by Joseph Lyman Silsbee, who was 26 years old at the time. It was built adjacent to the Erie Canal in 1875 in the upstate New York city. At 170 feet tall, it was the tallest building in Syracuse and contained the first passenger elevator in Syracuse which was a curiosity and drew visitors. Following the closing of the Erie Canal, the interior of the Gothic building was cleared and rebuilt in the 1930's to reinforce the structure with steel framing. Syracuse Savings Bank occupied this building for more than 100 years and today it’s owned by Fleet Bank.
I was close to writing a post about this metal building replica and the new mystery surrounding it. However, the true identification is now confirmed. It’s the Acacia Life Insurance Company located in Washington, D.C. I began to research the souvenir building for this blog and discovered the Monumental Miniatures book misidentified it as the Montgomery Ward building in Baltimore, Md. (MM#1073) I could not find a photo of the real building online and then reached out to The Baltimore Architecture Foundation for information. They agreed this building replica is not the Baltimore Montgomery Ward building (which is still standing and has now been converted to office space). The confusion was an understandable mistake because the presentation plaque on the replica’s base has a ‘Montgomery’ signature on it. The plaque reads “ To (engraved name) in appreciation of your outstanding contribution. December 26, 1952” and a signature which appears to be ‘W Montgomery.’ I brought the replica to the SBCS convention in Charlottesville recently and spoke about this newly unidentified replica during the ‘show & tell’ portion. I could ‘show’ it because I have one in my collection, but I could only ‘tell’ about my discovery that it was misidentified and then ask if any other collectors knew its true location. Fellow collectors suggested it looked like a hospital or insurance building. Then, one convention attendee, Russell, who also lives in the D.C. area, thought it looked like a building near the U.S. Capital and Union Station. It was a great lead and when I visited the building in D.C., it was a bit hard to tell, but it seemed like the correct building. Using Google Earth, I confirmed the location from above which clearly shows the unique shape and footprint. Originally built in 1936 as the Masonic Mutual Life Relief Association, it later became Acacia Life Insurance Company and served as their headquarters until 1997. It’s an example of neo classic art deco architecture and was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon who also designed the Empire State Building. Located at 51 Louisiana Ave, the building is now offices for Jones Day, the second largest law firm in the United States. Do you know of other unidentified souvenir building replicas? Let us know using the comments link below or send me an email. 
This spherical metal souvenir building of The Stockholm Globe, now called the Ericsson Globe, is a very rare item in Scott D’s collection. Its a desk display with a white marble base, brass card holder, brass clock mount (missing clock), a hole (possibly where a pen mount might have been) and a small storage space below. The diameter of the building replica globe is 4-5 inches and the base is 5-6 inches wide. Scott received it from a friend who traveled to Finland and found it. At first he was skeptical that is was a building until he researched it. The real building, located in Stockholm, Sweden, is currently the largest hemispherical building in the world and in Swedish is nicknamed Globen. It represents the Sun in the Sweden Solar System, the world's largest scale model of the sytem. With a diameter of 361 feet, the ‘Globen’ is primarily used for ice hockey and has seating capacity for 16,000 spectators for shows and concerts. It opened in 1989 and was designed by Svante Berg and Lars Vretblad. Do you have one in your collection? Do you know of other spherical souvenir buildings? Let us know via the ‘comments’ link below.
This ivory replica of the University of California – Berkeley Campanile Tower was handmade in Hong Kong sometime between 1967 & 1972 and sold on eBay recently. According to the auction listing, “similar ivory towers were given to academic retirees in the Chemical Engineering Department at Berkeley.” This souvenir building tower came with its original red velvet lined box. The official name is Sather Tower, but well known as the ‘Campanile,’ it’s a free-standing bell tower buit in 1914 and stands 307 feet tall. Inspiration for the architecture came from the campanile of San Marco in Venice. It has become the most widely-recognized architectural symbol of UC Berkeley. An elevator lifts visitors to a 200-feet tall observation deck and provides a spectacular view of the entire campus and Bay Area. The Campanile contains a sixty-one bell carillon and concerts take place everyday. Designer John Galen Howard wanted the tower to "rise with a slender stem, bursting into bloom at the summit." Other souvenir versions of the Campanile tower have been made in years past in various sizes and materials.
This antique Goodyear Zeppelin Hanger bank is made of the same metal used on the airship, duralumin. Made by Ferrosteel, it measures 7 3/8" long. One sold on eBay recently for $145. The real Goodyear Airdock in Akron, Ohio, was constructed in 1929 by the Goodyear Zepplin Corporation. It’s an unusually-shaped building which has been described as "half a silkworm's cocoon, cut in half the long way." Spanning 1,175 feet long and 325 feet wide by 211 feet tall, the building has semi-spherical doors weighing 600 tons. Akron is the birthplace of America's blimp industry. About 1910, Goodyear began experimenting with airship development and in 1917 created a subsidiary with the Zeppelin Company to build dirigibles. During 
the 1920s and 1930s, Akron and Lakehurst, N.J., were the American centers of dirigible research and manufacturing. After tragic accidents including the Hindenburg Disaster in 1937, rigid airships were abandoned and Goodyear focused on the production of blimps. The US Navy used many blimps in World War II for aerial observation, and Goodyear began utilizing them to advertise. Though very few new airships are built today, the Goodyear Blimps remain a popular corporate symbol. One of the largest buildings in the world without interior supports, the airdock was acquired by the Lockheed Martin Corporation in 1996. Blimp activitiy at the hanger continues today.
Resembling fighter jets soaring into the sky, the 17-spired Cadet Chapel on the campus of the Air Force Academy is the most recognized building there and is often used as a symbol of the Academy itself. One hundred identical aluminum tetrahedrons rise 150 feet separated by colored glass. Controversial for its design when it was first built, it is now considered one of the best examples of modern American academic architecture. Completed in 1963, the 2-level chapel was designed by Architect Walter Netsch for the school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The stated mission of the Air Force Chaplain and the Cadet Chapel is "to inspire men and women to become leaders of character by providing spiritual care and facilitating the free exercise of religion." The metal souvenir building replica pictured here is from the 1960's and measures 3” tall x 3.5” long. A newer, smaller pewter version was also produced.
