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Kaskey, Raymond,
James Myers Company,
Animal -- Amphibian
Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington
Architectural component
Sculpture
Salamander Finial, (sculpture).
Artist:
Kaskey, Raymond, 1943- , sculptor.
James Myers Company, contractor.
Title:
Salamander Finial, (sculpture).
Dates:
1985. Dedicated May 16, 1987.
Medium:
Sculpture: hammered copper.
Dimensions:
Sculpture: approx. H. 7 ft. W. 3 ft.
Description:
Sculpture of a salamander wrapped around the spire on the roof of the building. The salamander's two front feet rest on a two-foot diameter sphere pierced by the spire. At the base of the sphere is a fleur-de-lis design. Traditionally, the salamander was thought to have the power to extinguish flames and was believed to be impervious to fire.
Subject:
Animal -- Amphibian -- Salamander
Object Type:
Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington
Architectural component
Sculpture
Owner:
Historical Society of Washington, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20036
Provenance:
Formerly located Columbia Historical Society, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20036
Remarks:
The original lizard finial which was wrapped around the lightning rod on the roof of the Historical Society of Washington's building (once the home of Washington businessman Christian Heurich), was destroyed in 1972 during hurricane Agnes. Washington artist, Raymond Kaskey, worked from remaining pieces of the original lizard and photographs to create this replacement which closely resembles the original. Contractors James Myers Company installed the salamander. The $8,500 cost of the replacement salamander and installation was funded through donations from the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, the Montauk Foundation, the Irving and Ester Strum Foundation, and the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Local 100.
The Historical Society of Washington was formerly known as the Columbia Historical Society and all of the articles regarding the new Salamander finial refer to the organization as the Columbia Historical Society. IAS files contain a related articles from the Washington Post, May 17, 1987; the InTowner (District of Columbia), June 1987; and a press release from the Columbia Historical Society (now the Historical Society of Washington). City Paper (District of Columbia), June 5, 1987, pg. 3 includes a photograph taken during the installation of the sculpture.
References:
Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.
Illustration:
Image on file.
Washington Post, May 17, 1987, pg. F1.
Note:
The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.
Repository:
Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Control Number:
IAS DC000221
Copy/Holding information
Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum
Control Number
Inventory of American Sculpture
DC000221
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