52 East 19th Street
at the corner of 4th Ave was the address
of
ALCO & ALCO GRAVURE
The American Lithographic Co. 1892-1929
The Knapp Co. 1900-1929
(Alco's art division )
and also the showroom for
SEA SLED BOATS
1925-1930's
In short it was the headquarters
for Joseph Palmer Knapp's
Printing Empire and where his son
Dodi Knapp worked & played
(he was bullish on Sea Sleds)
I thought it would be neat to see
where it once was .....
Little did I know as I headed down
4th I would see this ....
It certainly looked familiar
KNAPP THIS!
from my 1910 Knapp Co. Sales Brochure
but at first I wasn't sure because
I had the impression it was on the north west corner. However
as I got closer a wide smile broke out in my brain!
AND WHEN I LOOKED WEST UP 19th STREET
I COULD ACTUALLY
READ THE SIGN THAT WAS CHISLED IN STONE
I THEN STARTED SNAPPING AWAY AT EVERYTHING
ON IT.
The Railing BTW Is Very Reminiscent
Of The One That
Was On The Terrace Of Their Mastic
Beach Mansion
The Address For The Entire Building
Is Now
230 Park Ave South
Looking West Up East 19th St.
American Lithographic Co. which became
the largest company of it's type in the world
was capitalised in 1892 with 13 Million
... Some Of It Looks Very Well Spent
Take A Bow
Mr. Joseph Palmer Knapp esq.
Naturally I went inside and asked
the security guard at the front desk if I could take photos. Of
course he said NO.....The fact that I told him I know the guy
that had it built did not seem to impress him at all .....but
it looked like it has been heavily remodeled on the interior into
typical modern nothingness. Still I Had To Wonder..... If the
second story lobby where Knapp Co. Had their Showroom Was Left
Alone.
Would It Not Be A Crime To
Replace This ?
If anyone out there who has access
to or works in this building ( It's mostly all advertising agencies
)
wants to contact me to tell me how
the interior has fared....please have at it.
E MAIL
Park Ave. Showrooms
Once Upon A Time You Could Buy A
Sea Sled One Of The Finest Boats made in America Here... Today
you can get a lemon!
after that it was onward uptown
to the AKC Library where I made many more fruitfull
discoveries...... that will be revealed
all in due time...WOOF!
FOR
MORE ON AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC CO
CLICK HERE
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