I thought I would make a model after this very ornamental monogram pictured below:
The antique original pictured above came from the old James McCreary Dept store on 23rd Street, 6th Avenue, NYC, I removed it from the lower portion of one of the metal elevator doors when the building was being demolished around 1974. I had added the frame and painted detailing around then.
The poor photo from 1982 doesn’t show it well, but it’s a very entwined, ornamental 3D design that would translate nicely in clay I think.
I will make the design about 15″ square.
The original sign is low relief but interesting intertwining of the letters, so I thought a much deeper relief would lend itself to some interesting treatment with various relief heighs, shadows and cutouts. I think a textured background, smooth letters will do best, haven’t decided on the texture yet, maybe a ball peened, or wood notched tool marks.
I decided to go with full size, making the monogram end up about 15-16″ square on an 18″ background which will shrink a little. I used course red clay as I have two boxes of it I need to get rid of before it’s too stiff to use.
Setting up the model with the lettering outlines inscribed on the clay for reference:
I will probably make the letters quite raised, 3/4″ or even more.
The monogram is: J M Mc Co. which was the James McCreary Co. department store dating back to the 1880s.
