In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the facades of many, if not most, 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. It was in the sheet-metal cornice, in fact, that the architectural eclecticism of the era found some of its most elaborate and impressive expression; in their complex play of geometric elements, of light and shadow, of multiple symmetries, the finest cornices can almost rival the ornament of a Gothic cathedral or a Moorish mosque. And of all the cities where these cornices were installed, New York may preserve the greatest number and variety—particularly in such Manhattan neighborhoods as Chinatown, the Lower East Side, the East Village, and Harlem. In this talk, based on his landmark publication, Ornamental Cornices, author Henry C. Millman encourages New Yorkers to look up—and marvel at some of the city’s greatest unsung architectural treasures, its sheet-metal cornices.

Mr. Millman first became fascinated with New York’s sheet-metal cornices when, as a draftsman for a building preservation firm, he had the unusual opportunity to examine their remarkable workmanship close up, from scaffolding or a swing stage. Decades later, he surveyed nearly every building in Manhattan to select some one hundred examples that would showcase the artistry and variety of the sheet-metal cornice. He then orchestrated an ambitious drone photography campaign to document these cornices, and made a detailed elevation drawing of each one, to illustrate its scale, structure, and graphic patterns with the utmost clarity. This lecture will present the fruits of Mr. Millman’s multiyear project, organized by neighborhood. The book Ornamental Cornices has been described as 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, which even now are falling victim to time and elements.

Henry C. Millman lived in New York City for thirty-four years. He worked as an off-Broadway theatrical set designer (winning an Obie Award in 1977), historic building draftsperson, and shop drawing professional for the architectural millwork trade. He currently lives in Storrs, Connecticut. Peg Breen, who wrote the book’s foreword, is President of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, one of the oldest and largest preservation organizations in the country. She first joined the Conservancy in 1994 and has been invited to speak about architectural preservation internationally.

A book signing and reception will follow the in-person program.

This program is held in partnership with The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen and The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Tuesday, October 6
6:00–8:00 p.m.
The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen
20 W. 44th Street, New York 10036

Purchase tickets (in-person).

Purchase tickets (online).