Ornamental Cornices: Manhattan’s Sheet-Metal Masterpieces

Ornamental Cornices: Manhattan’s Sheet-Metal Masterpieces with Henry Millman.  Introduction provided by Peg Breen, President of the New York Landmarks Conservancy

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the facades of many residential and commercial buildings in America’s cities were crowned with sheet-metal cornices. These offered certain practical advantages over stone or brick cornices―for example, they were lighter and safer to install―but the easy workability of sheet metal also allowed for greater decorative possibilities. And of all the cities where these cornices were installed, New York may preserve the greatest number and variety―particularly in such Manhattan. Mr. Millman, in his talk based on his new book, Ornamental Cornices, will describe some of these exceptional cornices.  This program is held in partnership with The New York Landmarks Conservancy and the Victorian Society of New York.