Circa 1928 Cast Iron and Glass Mayan Revival Theater Seat End

Available at Urban Remains.

Dealer description:
Rare and unusual c. 1928 fisher building ornamental cast iron interior theater seat end detachable mayan revival style "mask" retaining the original polychrome paint finish. the nose and eyes retain the original amber and clear glass jewels originally illuminated from behind. manufactured by the heywood-wakefield co., garnder, ma. salvaged from the fisher theatre, a unique detroit example of a mayan-style movie palace, during the 1960's. designed by the firm of graven & mayger, the fisher theatre could seat 2,715 in its plush auditorium seats. the interior featured two balconies, an orchestra pit, a 4-manual/36-rank wurlitzer organ, and in the lobby, a goldfish pond, real banana trees, and macaws which patrons could feed by hand while waiting for the next show. in the early-1930's, the theater was operated by paramount-publix and became home to the 40-piece sam benavie orchestra as well as elaborate stage acts. by the 1950's, the stage shows were gone, and the fisher theatre began showing only films. for the last few years of the 1950's, the fisher theatre became a second-run house and screened its final movie "the magnificent seven" in 1960. the next year, the fisher theatre was acquired by the nederlander theatrical corporation, which hired the firm of rapp & rapp to remodel the theater at a cost of nearly $4 million. in the process nearly all traces of the original mayan theme ornament was completely obliterated. Measures 8 x 5 1/2 inches.