This lovely sign and part of the original facade are all that remain of Jenkins Antiques and Art Gallery which was located in a building on Grenville constructed in 1917 and designed by one of our top architect firms, Sproat & Rolph. As often happens in Toronto, the building was sold and a 25 storey condo tower was constructed in 1989 with the condition that the sign and facade be incorporated into the new structure. Another bit of history gone!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. For more signs click here.
A fascnating way to display the sign on the window feature of the building! Such a pity that it's all going!
ReplyDeleteSo much for progress! Glad they at least kept a little bit of the original building.
ReplyDeleteWe are losing so much history, art, architecture and style all in the name of "progress" and large shopping malls...
ReplyDeleteGreat photo!
Sometimes I look for a special place and I become sad when I figure out it was replaced.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know they preserved the facade and the sign. ;-)
Progress is not always "progress" - but at least they left these very attractive remnants of what used to be!
ReplyDeleteMuch as we would like to save everything, it just isn't practical. At least they compromise to an extent by saving facades.
ReplyDeletei like hte brick archway and the location of the street #
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they at least kept the sign and facade. It is just lovely.
ReplyDeleteLove the details above the signs - JedKids
ReplyDeleteThe city architecture is starting to look odd with these condos being built above the old buildings and keeping the old facades.
ReplyDeleteThat tile is just fabulous. Glad at least they kept that!
ReplyDeleteWell at least a little bit of history remained. Where I live it could well have ended being a parking lot.
ReplyDeleteI guess not ALL of the history is gone. :) Cool shot.
ReplyDeletePreservationists debate whether it is better to fight to keep everything, or be satisfied to retain a bit that is incorporated into a newer, bigger, modern structure. Come visit me tomorrow for illustrations of exactly this issue.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a nice facade to be preserved.
ReplyDeletelovely capture!
ReplyDeleteNice brick and tile work.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely building. What a shame that so much history will be gone along with the building with only a sign to remind of what it was in the past.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bummer! But it could have been worse - at least this way there's still a reminder of the old building. Wonder how long the sign & facade will be there??
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they saved the sign
ReplyDeleteit's lovely
ah, very pretty. I wish more buildings would adopt such a practice.
ReplyDeleteThis sort of thing makes buildings special. Not like big glass towers.
Fascinating facade.
ReplyDeleteAt least they left the sigh as a memory of the past, it makes you wonder if there are people ready and waiting to buy all these new apartments that they make these old buildings into!
ReplyDeleteKind of hard to find this kind of design. ^_^
ReplyDeleteSigns
Glad the façade was preserved, it's lovely.
ReplyDeleteWell at least part of it was saved! And what an unusual font they used - it looks like "Jedkids"!
ReplyDeleteThe Jenkins Antiques and Art Galleries was establishes by my Great Grandmother Bridget Mary Burns Jenkins and her son Thomas Jenkins. It was Toronto's premier Antiques and Arts Gallery in Toronto between 1900- 1930. Sadly the only artifact remaining from the Gallery is the wonderful Shop Front.
ReplyDeletePatricia Hodgins
Recently came across a 1928 auction catalogue by The Jenkins Galleries. Fascinating contents.
ReplyDeleteI was only recently made aware of this article. Actually, my first and middle names are Thomas Jenkins and I am the oldest grandson of Thomas Jenkins who of course, I never met. My sister brother and living cousins still talk about the events way back in the late 20's and early 30's before any of us was born. Each of us has a few items that came from either the gallery or the family how on Dunvegan Road and we treasure them all and are starting to pass some of them down to our children to keep the memories alive. Tim (Thomas) Pritchard on Vancouver Island.
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