Ornamental Cornices: Manhattan’s Sheet-Metal Masterpieces

Henry C. Millman, author of the new book Ornamental Cornices: Manhattan’s Sheet-Metal Masterpieces, continues the Museum’s fall focus on brilliant uses of building materials in the urban environment. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the facades of many residential and commercial buildings in America’s cities were crowned with sheet-metal cornices that blossomed into elaborate and impressive expressions of architectural eclecticism. Of all the cities where these cornices were installed, New York holds the greatest number and variety–particularly in such Manhattan neighborhoods as Chinatown, the Lower East Side, the East Village, and Harlem.

Millman first became fascinated with New York’s sheet-metal cornices when, as a draftsman for a building preservation firm, he had the opportunity to closely examine their remarkable workmanship. Decades later, he surveyed nearly every example in Manhattan, selecting for this volume a hundred examples to showcase their artistry and variety. Organized by neighborhood and accompanied by Millman’s expert text on the history, construction, and design of these sheet-metal marvels, Ornamental Cornices is illustrated with extraordinary photography and detailed elevation drawings that illustrate the cornices’ scale, structure, and graphic patterns. This landmark study is an essential volume for architects, builders, and curious urban wanderers alike–but it is also an eloquent plea for the preservation of Manhattan’s metal masterpieces.