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HISTORY OF THE CAST IRON NYC SEALS
FROM THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY
The story of the creation and the rescue of the Cast Iron Seals which once graced the West Side Highway reflects both the historical development of New York City and the development of the Art-deco period of American Art and Architecture.
In order to insure the beautification of the West Side Highway as a scenic drive, the Art Commission of the City of New York commissioned the preparation of reproductions of five City Seals for use as architectural ornaments on the Highway. Each of the reproductions reflected an official seal of the City adopted at a particular time in its development. They were to be mounted at regular intervals and in a particular ordered pattern along the exterior walls of the Highway. The architectural firm of Sloan & Robertson was selected for the project.
Preliminary designs of the Cast Iron Seals were approved by the Art Commission on April 27, 1928, with approval of the final models on July 30, 1930. In the same year, The Art Commission approved specially-mixed paint to bronze the seals-- "...a mixture of yellow ochre and raw umbre"
While each Cast Iron Seal conforms to the original adopted seal, the reproductions bear the unmistakable imprint of their sculptor, Rene P. Chambellan, and the sweep and flow of his technique are evident. His work, which includes the outstanding sculptures of "Law & Justice", "Arms of The City", and "Enlightenment" on the Criminal Courts Building at 100 Centre Street, is now greatly prized.
The modeling and casting of the Seals were executed in the sculptor's studio. Each seal pattern was designated by a letter of the alphabet - A, B, C, D, and E - which was cast in the back of the seal to insure its proper placement when installed.
On February 5, 1937. The West Side Elevated Highway, running from Canal Street to 72nd Street, was officially opened. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia officiated, with many dignitaries in attendance, including Robert Moses, who is credited with the completion of the overall Highway project.
When demolition of the Highway became necessary in the 1970s, the Art Commission acted to preserve as much of the decorative detail as possible. On February 14, 1977, the Commission directed that 25 sets of the Seals be preserved and stored for possible future use, and that, before disposing of the balance, the Commissioner of Highways offer sets of the Seals to the Museum of the City of New York, the Museum of the State of New York, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution. The remaining Seals were to be disposed of "...in such manner as would best assure their preservation..." and not be sold as scrap metal.
Historical documents recording their development, and photographs showing the Seals in place, are in the archives of the Art Commission of The City of New York. A complete history of each of the City's Official Seals (reproduced in this cast iron set) can be found in "American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, Twentieth Annual Report, 1915.
SCULPTOR'S BIOGRAPHY: Rene P. Chambellan, 1893-1955, was both a sculptor and an architect. Born in West Hoboken, N.J., he later lived in New York City and was associated with New York University. Chambellan was a prolific sculptor -- his sculpture, bas reliefs, panels, other architectural adornments enhance many well-known structures throughout the United States and abroad, including The British and Francais Buildings, Rockefeller Center; Radio City Music Hall; Tribune Building, Chicago; Russell Sage Foundation, New York; Sterling Library, Yale. He also designed the John Newbery Medal for the American Library Association. Chambellan is listed in the first edition of "Who's Who in American Art, 1936;" Thieme-Backer's "Kunstler Lexicon;" and Fielding's "Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers, Vol. I, 1983." |
HISTORY & DESCRIPTION OF NEW YORK CITY SEALS
from "American Scenic & Historic Preservation Society,
Twentieth Annual Report, 1915"
A. Seal of The Province of New Netherland, 1623*
Two shields constitute the center of the seal. Superimposed upon a larger shield is a small shield depicting, in diagonal position, a beaver. A string of wampum, the dominant motif of the larger shield, encircles the small shield. Directly above the two shields and forming the crest is a count's coronet positioned between single stars. Encircling the two shields is the printed legend, SIGILLUM NOVI BELGII. The whole is encircled by a sharply serrated wreath.
The beaver, signifying continuing prosperity, was the commodity upon which the original commerce of New Netherland was founded. In this era, both the beaver skin and wampum were used as money. The coronet of the count demonstrates that the Province of New Netherland had the armorial rights of a countship. The legend, SIGILLUM NOVI BELGII or "Seal of the New Belgium", recalls an earlier time when the Belgium and Dutch Netherlands were one political entity.
B. Seal of New Amsterdam, 1654*
After New Amsterdam won a form of municipal government in 1653, the Burgonmasters and Schepens petitioned the West India Company for a new city seal distinct from that of the province (Seal A above). In 1654, their request was granted.
The most prominent feature of the new seal is a shield with a vertical band through its center. In a vertical row on the band are three diagonal or saltire crosses. A beaver, crouching upon the top of the shield, forms the crest. Above the crest is a second, smaller shield with the stylized inscription, GWC. On either side of the small shield, a mantle unfurls and drapes into scroll-like formation along the sides of the larger shield below. On a label beneath the large shield is the printed legend, SIGILLUM AMSTELODAMENSIS IN NOVO BELGIO. The whole is encircled by a laurel wreath.
The beaver is taken directly from the seal of the Province of New Netherland. The diagonal crosses on the band of the large seal correspond to saltaire crosses in the arms of the mother city, Amsterdam. The stylized monogram, GWC, means "Geotzoycerde West Indische Compagnie' or Chartered West India Company." The printed legend, SIGILLUM AMSTELODAMENSIS IN NOVO BELGIO, means "Seal of Amsterdam in New Belgium."
C. Seal of the Province of New York, 1669'
After the Dutch had surrendered New Amsterdam to the English in 1664, the name of the city was changed to New York in honor of James, Duke of York, to whom the province had been patented by King Charles II. In 1669, the Duke of York granted both the Province and the City of New York their first seals under English rule. Details of the design of the city seal are not known.
The seal of the Province has, at its center, the coat of arms of the house of Stuart. Encircling the coat of arms is the garter with its inscribed motto, HONI SOIT OVI MAL Y PENSE. The ducal coronet is centered above the garter. Circling around the garter and forking upward to the coronet is a band with the abbreviated legend, SIGILL: PROVINC: NOV: EBORAC:. A laurel wreath borders the edge of the seal.
Charles II, who ruled England from 1660 until 1685, was a Stuart monarch. The Order of the Garter, the highest order of British knighthood, has as its motto, "HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" or "Evil to him who evil thinks." The ducal coronet represents the
proprietor of the Province, the Duke of York. The printed legend, SIGILL: PROVINC: NOV: EBORAC:, means "Seal of the Province of New York." The word, EBORACI, means "Place at the water" and is the Latin form of the name of' the City of York in England.
D. Seal of the City of New York, 1784*
After the evacuation of the British (1783), a newly-organized government passed a law in early 1784 altering the city seal. In many respects, the new seal was similar to an earlier seal of 1686 except that the Imperial crown was removed and the crest of the New York State coat of arms was inserted.
In the center is a shield within which are the diagonal (saltire) sails of a windmill. Between each sail, a beaver and a flour barrel alternate as follows: in each upper and lower section, a beaver and, on each side a flour barrel. Two supporting figures stand on either side of the shield. On its right, a sailor in long trousers rests his left hand upon the shield while, in his right hand, he holds a lead-line for sound in the depth of water. On its left, an Indian of Manhattan Island with full feathered
headdress rests his right hand on the shield and, in his left hand, holds a double-curved bow by its midsection. Mounted on the top of the shield and forming the crest is a hemisphere upon which an American Eagle soars to the right. Imprinted around the bottommost curve of the shield is the date, 1686. The printed legend. SIGILLUM CIVITAT. NOV. EBORAC., forms a band encircling the shield and its supporters. Flowering or fruited branches border each side of the crest and rise from the corners of the shield. The entire seal is encircled by a narrowly segmented band.
The beaver device, as noted in the description of earlier seals, represents the staple commodity of New Netherland, while the flour barrel represents the staple industry of New York under English rule. The significance of the windmill here is to the industrial prosperity suggested by the flour barrel. The eagle on a hemisphere represents the coat of arms of New York State, which had been adopted in 1778. The date 1686** commemorates the granting of the Dongan Charter. SIGILLUM CIVITAT NOV. EBORAC., the abbreviated legend, means Seal of the City of New York."
E. Seal of the City of New York, 1915.
A 1915 local law reestablished the city seal adopted by the Common Council in 1686 and subsequently modified in 1784 (Seal D above).
Although virtually all the devices of the 1784 seal are repeated, two new elements do appear. The date 1664 has been inserted and replaces 1686. Above the right hand of the sailor is a navigating instrument or cross-staff.
A number of minor modifications also appear. The shape of the shield is more stylized and less regular. The sailor now wears breeches rather than long pants. The Indian now holds a long one-piece bow whose lower end rests on the ground. In the earlier version, the Indian and the sailor were separated by the lower end of the shield, which descended to a point below them; they now stand on a common ground and support the shield between them. The crest, or eagle upon a hemisphere, is now positioned centrally above the shield; in the earlier version, it had rested atop the shield. The printed legend, SIGILLUM CIVITATIS NOVI EOBRACI, is no longer abbreviated. The flowering branches bordering the crest in the earlier version have been removed. The whole seal is now encircled by a laurel wreath.
In 1664**, New Amsterdam had been captured by the English and renamed New York. The navigating instrument may suggest Henry Hudson, who supposedly platted the latitude of New York Harbor
* - Year designations reflect when each seal was officially adopted.
** -Year designations appearing on Seals D & E commemorate historical events, as indicated in the text. |
CITYBOOKS
2213 Municipal Building
1 Center Street
New York, N.Y. 10007
566-2616
WEST SIDE HIGHWAY
CAST IRON ORNAMENTAL SEALS
A. Seal of the Province of New Netherland 1623
B. Seal of the City of New Amsterdam 1654
C. Seal of the Province of New York 1669
D. Seal of the City of New York 1784
E. Seal of the City of New York 1915
Seal E available only in set of 5
Specifications:
Diameter - 1' 6"
Depth - 2 1/4 "
Weight - 60 lbs.
Price:
As Is: $150
Cleaned: $250
deposit required - no delivery / shipping
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Road no, Seals si
It's been more than 10 years since the West Side Highway ceased to be an elevated road, giving way to the planned $2 billion Westway superhighway. Believe it or not, parts of the West Side Highway are now considered collector's items.
These are the giant cast-iron city seals that were mounted at intervals along the outer walls of the highway. There are five different designs, each representing the city seal at different periods in city history. Each seal weighs 65 pounds.
They're for sale. "Rescued from weather, time and the wrecker's boom, these seals can now be yours," says the city's Department of General Services.
Prices? "Time-grimed" seals go for $150 each. Polished-up seals go for $250. Before sealing a deal, collectors are advised to visit the Citybooks store at 2213G, Municipal Building, to reserve a seal.
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