Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Artist: O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works

Roosevelt Apartments Entrance
Joseph Margolis (Architect), O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works, 1927 (approximate)
* birds, plants, abstract design,
* I am assuming that this building, which was known as the Hotel Roosevelt in 1959, was originally known as the Rabinowitz Residence or Royalton Apartments as listed for this location by philadelphiabuildings.org, which gives the build date as c. 1927. There is a modest ad in the 9/23/1928 Philadelphia Ledger for apartments in the Royalton which sounds like it might be newly opened. 2024 realty listings for the apartments in the building say 1913, but I don't know where that information came from. I am listing it as 1927.
* Entrance. Southeast corner, 23rd and Walnut.
* 39.951020,-75.178310 [map] [nearby]
* On the Rittenhouse Square tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org 's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org 's holdings page for the building
+1959 picture of the 23rd Street side of the building at phillyhistory.org
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Joseph Margolis page

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Drexel Building
Charles Zeller Klauder (Architect), O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works, 1928
* zodiac signs and symbols, ram, meregoat, bull, winged people sitting and kneeling, crab and fish, lion, musical instrument, scales, scorpion, centaur, weapons, jug, water, headgear, eagle
* inscription: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
* Whole Building. Northeast corner, 15th and Walnut.
* 39.949625,-75.165850 [map] [nearby]
* On the Avenue of the Arts tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org entry for the building
+www.philadelphiabuildings.org's Charles Zeller Klauder page

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First National Bank Building
O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works, Ritter and Shay (Architects), 1928
* big and small birds, seated people, dog head, lion head, snakes, zodiac signs
* Zodiac signs and dog's head are behind the 15th street entrance awning.
* Whole Building. Southwest corner, 15th and Walnut.
* 39.949500,-75.166040 [map] [nearby]
* On the Avenue of the Arts tour
* Exhibits: New, Gargoyles
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Ritter and Shay page

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Navy Ships
Louis Eugene Jallade (Architect), O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works, 1928
* small ships, anchor, eagle
* The building was originally the Navy Central YMCA Annex. Around the entrance are subtle reliefs of Navy ships including the Hornet, the Constitution, the Enterprise, the Bon Homme Richard, the Kearsarge, and the Olympia.
* Entrance. East side of 15th, North of Arch.
* 39.955150,-75.164675 [map] [nearby]
* On the Franklin Town tour
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Louis Eugene Jallade page

See Also

+philadelphiabuildings.org's O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works page