Archive for February 19th, 2014
complicated padlock
Williamsburgh Savings Bank, part 2.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In yesterday’s post – “gleaming sands” – the story of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building at 175 Broadway in Brooklyn was described in some detail. As promised, in today’s post, a few more shots from inside the recently restored structure.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In the middle of the room is an ornate safe, which attracted no small amount of attention from the crowd that Atlas Obscura had brought in. This looked like the sort of safe which a cowboy might attempt to open with dynamite in a western movie.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
We were told that the safe is of European make and design, manufactured specifically in France. Of course, that’s 1875 France, which was a very different France than the one which we’re stuck with today.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On the inside of the door were two medallions, which were “maker’s marks.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Emperor Napoleon the Third is commemorated on one of them.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Alongside the safe was a mechanism which acted as a sort of intercom to other sections of the building. This is not an electronic system, it should be noted, you simply spoke or whistled into the appropriate tube.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The domes kept on gathering my attention. The ornamentation and detail up there were incredible. Your humble narrator is still analyzing the iconography contained therein.
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