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Olde Good Things

Architectural and Altered Antiques

Philadelphia Civic Center Frieze Finds a New Home in Bayonne New Jersey

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Back in 2005, the Philadelphia Civic Center was one of Olde Good Things’ largest salvage jobs of the year. We salvaged treasures from the inside and outside of the building. Famously, we removed three limestone mural friezes from the upper part of the building. Each frieze had a different theme: Commerce, Construction and Sports. The Sports Frieze found a home in New York, while the Commerce Frieze traveled all the way to Moscow, Russia.

Philadelphia Civic Center Construction Limestone Frieze

 

In 2017, the Construction Frieze was purchased by The Alessi Organization. It is now proudly displayed in a new plaza near East 22nd Street and Route 440 in Bayonne. They choose the Construction Freize because it represents the history of the local community.

 

Photo credit: NJ.com

View the full article by NJ.com 

 

Read more about this Salvage Job

Historic Limestone Friezes from Philadelphia Civic Center

Salvaged Antique Door Hardware from Philadelphia Civic Center

Video Tour of Salvaged Stone Yard

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Click the picture above to view the video.

With garden season well under way, Olde Good Things has an offering of a variety of building stones to decorate any outdoor or even indoor space. Over 30 styles of decorative salvage stones will be shown in this video. Each slide is numbered to pin point the exact one you show interest in.  We have way more than this available but this gives you a good idea of unique terra cotta, limestone and marble pieces.  Take a look and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Call 888.233.9678 to inquire or shop our online selection here <View online now!

 

Featured Stone Frieze

Terra Cotta Figural Frieze Mural Historic Grand Central Station

Relentlessly Pursuing Historic Architecture in The City That Never Sleeps

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As New York City ushers in a new era of progress, distinguished by the revitalization of some of the city’s most famous landmark neighborhoods, Olde Good Things is on standby to make sure that the most stunning architectural elements, the irreplaceable historical details of bygone days, are preserved and made available to our customers.

Our recent reclamation from the 42nd and Vanderbilt Warren and Wetmore Building is just one example of why the architecturologists at OGT are part of a rare breed. OGT is a leader in the architectural salvage industry. We have been rescuing and reclaiming NYC skyscrapers since the 90s, each time putting in the effort to preserve and cherish the custom details that distinguish the historical treasures in The Big Apple. We have watched other salvage experts fall by the wayside due to the immense effort it requires to safely rescue these pieces of history. If New York City is the “city that never sleeps”, you could say that about the architecturologists at Olde Good Things.

In order to pave the way for the city’s new fourth tallest skyscraper, known as “One Vanderbilt”, the former Warren and Wetmore building was demolished, but not before we extracted some of its most significant embellishments. The building faced the west side entrance of Grand Central Terminal for a century, and our salvage artifacts are almost as close as you can get to having a piece of the historic station!
In fact, the Beaux arts architecture of the building’s facade was meant to reflect the architecture of Grand Central Terminal, which was also designed by Warren and Wetmore. The terminal itself was the largest architectural and commerce deal in New York City at the turn of the century, spanning over 20 city blocks.

Our rescue at 42nd and Vanderbilt brings home the historical elements of a building designed and built to directly complement the train station concourse circa 1910. One of our most prominent salvage items is the cast iron figural frieze with double Bacchus faces from the building facade. We were also able to preserve a captivating terra cotta frieze featuring children rejoicing amongst a bountiful harvest of fruit, as well as a treasure trove of structural fluted columns.

I hope you will join us as we tirelessly explore and pursue the architectural wonders of our famous city, and maybe bring a piece of it home with you.

National Warehouse Slideshow

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You’ve probably heard of “the most interesting stores in New York” if you’ve ever visited one of our NYC Olde Good Things locations.  Well you ain’t seen nothin’ til you set foot in “the most interesting warehouse in Pennsylvania” which is chock full of reclaimed architectural items and furnishings ready for a new home.  Take a look at the slide show.  (This is just one of our Scranton PA locations, the other one is even bigger!)  With Spring arriving it’s a great time to pay a visit!

National Warehouse

400 Gilligan Street
Scranton, PA 18508
570-341-7668
888-233-9678
Mon – Sat 9 am to 6 pm
Sun 10 am to 6 pm
Directions

Shop Architectural Finds located at our National Warehouse

Famous Building Artifacts at Olde Good Things

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One of the best parts of being the number one architectural salvage company is the country is getting to preserve items of interest from famous buildings all over the United States. These pieces provide our employees and our customers with a very real sense of our nation’s history, and having the privilege of storing and/or restoring these amazing pieces is something we truly appreciate. To that end, we’d like to take the time to share with some of our online customers some of the pieces we’ve come into contact with here at Olde Good Things over the years.


This gorgeous ceramic tile mantel was salvaged from the famous Jonsonia Iver Johnson building in Fitchburg, MA. The building was damaged by fire in 2011, but as you can see, this piece remains in good condition. We were able to salvage two of these ceramic mantles from the building. The richly colored tiles are beautifully crackled, and the mantles feature some amazingly beautiful detail, which you can see in the second picture above. These pieces were manufactured by the Hartford Faience Co., and can be found below.

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Iver Johnson Building Ceramic Tile Mantel
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Iver Johnson Building Ceramic Tile Mantel
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This beautiful architectural plaque was once a part of the National American Building, which was located on New York City’s Madison Avenue. The building was designed by renowned architect Joseph H. Freedlander, who firmly believed that architecture created for business and industry could still be beautiful. The plaque is made of heavy bronze, and has a gorgeous patina. The carving on the plaque is incredibly detailed – from the delicately draped clothing worn by the figures to the rope edging surrounding the piece. This lovely plaque would make an excellent addition to any home or building.

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Large Bronze Architectural Plaque from New York City
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The Pennsylvania Civic Center was erected in 1929 and was used for many years to house events such as sporting matches and political conventions. Our trip to the building before it’s demolition allowed us to salvage a number of terra cotta and limestone friezes, as shown below. These pieces formerly hung on the wall of the building, and each of these pieces was one of a kind. They would make a unique decorative addition to your home or office, whether used individually, or hung as a set. You can see them, as well as a number of other items from the building in our inventory below.

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Original Carved Africa Frieze from Philadelphia Civic Center
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Original Australia Frieze from Philadelphia Civic Center

Original Australia Frieze from Philadelphia Civic Center
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South America Limestone Frieze from Philadelphia Civic Center
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Philadelphia Civic Center Engineering & Manufacturing Frieze
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Philadelphia Civic Center Commerce Limestone Frieze
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Philadelphia Civic Center Construction Limestone Frieze
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An item salvaged from one of our country’s famous buildings can not only provide you with a unique and interesting decorative piece, it can also give your home or office a real feeling of history. These pieces are ones that will make excellent conversation starters, and really add to the style and tone that you are trying to create in the space where you live your life. If you’d like to take a look at more of our famous architectural salvage, contact us for more information on any piece featured in this article.

All inventory salvaged from Philadelphia Civic Center
View all the Famous Building Artifacts

Salvaging Angels: Guardian Architecturologists

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Opposing angels kneel gracefully above the entryway of this 100 year old church

Opposing angels kneel gracefully above the entryway of this 100 year old church

Many of the old churches in NEPA have withstood the test of time, the elements, and urban sprawl.

Most of the remaining churches are home to some of the most beautiful religious iconography in the country, including twin Guardian Angels; serene, ethereal, and posed for prayer while gracing the ledge of this church like the pearls in a crown.

These two white marble angels were once an eye catching call to worship, and now they are gracing the inventory of our Scranton warehouse. The angels were carefully dismantled, lowered from their lofty perches, and are now made available for a new home.

If you’d like to learn more about these exquisitely carved statuary marble statues, and how they can become yours, contact us. Or, if you’d like to take a look at these angels yourself, please visit our Scranton warehouse. Our online inventory is a great place to search through our collection of other items salvaged from churches, warehouses, factories, barns, and restaurants.

Dimensions are approximately 40 in. deep x 25 in. wide x 67 in. high each.

Hand-carved 100 year old kneeling angel gently lowered from above the high entryway

Hand-carved 100 year old kneeling angel gently lowered from above the high entryway

 

The architecturologist is glad for his latest retrieval

The architecturologist is glad for his latest retrieval

Ready to get transported to our Scranton warehouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures depict the detail on the condition of the statues. Other than these damages, the angels are absolutely beautiful unique pieces.

 

Olde Good Things