All past issues of the Journal of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society are now available in the Members Only section of this website. All you need is a clicky finger and a password. Click here to reach the list of newsletters from Vol. 1, No 1 through Vol. 22, No. 3. Future issues will be added as they are published.
Having the newletters available makes it easier to put up short, informational posts that remind us of and/or extend the stories encompassed within the newletters themselves.
Vincenzo Vizzari and his welcoming display of David Savanyu’s pre-ordered buildings.
For instance, in Vol. 22, No. 2, David Savanyu detailed his discovery of the shop and then the friendship with Italian architect and artisan, Vincenzo Vizzari, in Palermo. Now you can view David’s short videos here and refresh your memory of the article without leaving the website. In this instance, the 3 videos of Vincenzo Vizzari’s City of Clay are available to whom-so-ever visits this website. In the future, other media like the newsletters may be only available to SBCS members.
Russell and Ingrid Keune in 2011 at the SBCS Washington DC convention.
Russell V. Keune, F.A.I.A., of Arlington, Virginia died at home on December third at age 77. He is survived by Ingrid Christina Keune to whom he was married for 47 years, their son Eric who lives in Chicago, Illinois with wife Kubinne Kim and their son Alexander. A graduate of the University of Illinois with both Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Architecture, he worked for the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the U.S. Committee on Monuments and Sites for the U.N., and the American Institute of Architects as the Director of International Affairs. His work led him to pursue a lifelong love of collecting miniature buildings, amassing a collection of more than 800; along with two antique Packard automobiles which were an ongoing source of engagement.
Family and Friends will gather to celebrate his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers contributions should be made to the National Building Museum in the name of Russell V. Keune memorial fund.
Here’s your chance! That one special building or many sought-after pieces from noted SBCS member Howie Gelbtuch’s collection and other consignors! All you have to do is have a winning bid!
Following the SBCS Convention tour of the Florida Southern College Architectural District, a collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, it was observed that a miniature of the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel had been created as a building fundraiser some time in the 1930s. Steven and Ethan C have a one in their collection. It was purchased about 2010 from a collector in Atlanta who would only part with one of a pair of bookends.
Community Collections: A Sampling fo Souvenir Buildings. Photo courtesy of Anna GrantCommunity Collections: A Sampling of Souvenir Buildings. View at the City Reliquary Museum. Exhibit closes in September 2015. Photo courtesy of Anna Grant.
The City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn, NY is showcasing in their Community Collections exhibit: “A Sampling of Souvenir Buildings” from the collection of SBCS President Joe Kopitz. They can be viewed in person at the Museum, on the City Reliquary Museum Facebook page and on the Souvenir Building Collectors Society Facebook page.
FACE BOOK Friend Days:
Of late, the Souvenir Building Collectors Society Facebook page has been hosting some lively discussions and a spate of interesting souvenir building photo postings requesting and receiving identifications. Carolyn C. kicked off these discussions on a Wednesday some weeks ago with a “Where Is It Wednesday?”.This has morphed into “Who Has It Wednesday?”, “and “What Is It Wednesday?” with resulting ID’s and pictures of the actual buildings.
Where Is It Wednesday? Identified as Dormition Church, Kondopoga.
Friday Finds: Resin Replica of Maine-Montparnasse Tower, Paris.
Added to this ‘Day of the Week’ conversation is “Throwback Thursday” and “Test Tarun Thursday” (Tarun V. having shown an unbelievable rapidity in identifying previously unidentified souvenirs). And Tarun has contributed another category, “Friday Finds.”
ARCO Center, Los Angeles, Grey Metal on Marble, circa 1980
The first contribution toward building a checklist of souvenir buildings / monuments / statues located in Los Angeles or Orange Counties has arrived. Chris S. sent in this photo of the ARCO Center, ARCO Products Company Headquarters. He wrote, “This Arco Tower was a spec building built in the late 1980s prior to the office building bust in the 1990s. This was the ‘lesser’ ARCO building, not the more famous ARCO Tower that housed the oil company headquarters. This building housed the ARCO Products Division, the AM/PM Mini Marts. ARCO has ended their lease and taken the signage off of the building.” He speculates that this miniature was made as a souvenir for the initial occupancy or as a sales reward. Chris found it at the Mart Collective in Venice, CA in the fall of 2014.
Volumes 1 to 5 of the JOURNAL OF THE SOUVENIR BUILDING COLLECTOR SOCIETY are now available for download in the Membership section of the website. Members Only / SBCS Newsletters / Listing of Back Issues. Go to the bottom of the page.
Jay M, Michael E, and Joe K have contributed photos from the 2015 Convention that can be viewed at Members Only / Convention Photos / 2015. Roll over caption to get full captions. If you have pictures to share, please forward them. Also, check out the public tab, 2015 Convention Redux. We’ll keep it up for a while and could use some photos.
We could use some more pictures of buildings and monuments acquired during the convention to post and increase the number of buildings that will come up in a internet search.
Lance Oldham’s definitive work Banthrico Buildings, Then and Now. Check it out and download it for your research files.
Front Cover of Banthrico Buildings, Then and Now by Lance G. Oldham
WANTED:
Photos and descriptions of your souvenir buildings / monuments / statues with a Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, or Orange County location. We will start posting some of these photos as a run-up to the June 10 – 12, 2016 SBCS Convention in Los Angeles. A further intent is to create a locale (LA and Orange Counties) specific checklist for members. Email your photos to bookendcollector@bookendcollector.com.
Elizabeth L. and Joe K. took advantage of the “First to Fly” promotion for the Orlando EYE and got the birds-eye view of the Orlando countryside. Joe took 2 flights and received 2 commemorative “First to Fly” pins. Joe said, “While there is not that much to see while up in the sky (after all, it is in central Florida – not on the edge of the Thames), there are several worthwhile sites to discover and see from a different perspective”.
ORLANDO EYE
View of Central Florida from high up on the rotation of the Orlando Eye.
Katherine and Jerry tickled Frank Lloyd Wrights’ fancy.
Frank Lloyd Wright Statue, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL
Donna S. picked up 2 keys to the 1933 Century of Progress, Chicago’s World Fair, at an antique mall in the city of Winter Park. Of course, the keys had buildings depicted on them.
Keys to the 1933 Century of Progress, Chicago World’s Fair. Gray Metal, 8 1/2″ and 10″ in length.
On his way out-of-town, Joe K. found a $1 treasure at the Belville Corner Old Time Market in Bushnell, FL.
Firemen’s Memorial Monument, Department 56, American Pride Collection, Ht – 4 1/2″, W – 6″, Depth – 2 3/4″. Composite (plastic)
Base of Monument
Reverse of Monument
The Swap and Shop tables, the after dinner raffle, and the auction yielded more treasures for the 2015 convention attendees.
Checking out the Auction and Raffle Items
Unidentified Mexican Temple, 2 3/4″, Plastic
Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, 1 3/4″, Plaster
The Fish House, Rockport, Mass. Sebastian Miniatures, 1950, Ceramic. 2 3/4″
Even a bashed up General Motors, Detroit, MI miniature building is all good if you don’t have one in your collection. Grey metal, 3 1/2″ in height.
Front Cover of Banthrico Buildings, Then and Now by Lance Oldham
Back Cover
Lance Oldham, author of the definitive Banthrico Buildings: Coin Banks and Souvenir Buildings, Monuments, and Landmarks Manufactured by the Banthrico Co. and Successor Companies (2004 – 6) is making available electronic copies of his book, Banthrico Buildings, Then and Now, to all members of the Souvenir Building Collectors’ Society, as a benefit of membership.
SBCS President, Joe Kopitz, states “I think that this is such terrific opportunity for our website and the SBCS. It adds such great value for our members and makes Lance’s hard work available to those who seek it most. Such a win-win.”
Lance has been a member of the Souvenir Building Collectors’ Society since 1995 and a member of the Still Bank Collectors Club of America since 1990. He is a frequent contributor of articles to the journals of both organizations. In writing Banthrico Buildings, Then and Now, Lance says, “My primary intent was to develop a database that could be used in writing comprehensive, detailed articles for collectors’ journals.”
In accomplishing his objective he not only provided the souvenir building and still bank collector communities with the specifications relating to the miniature replica building, but has conveyed the historical context of the actual building. For example, the Coast Federal Savings and Loan Association of Los Angeles issued a bank in 1961 that was a Rabbit looming over a replica of their building on Hill Street in Los Angeles. Lance’s data sheet not only covers the issue date and dimensions of the replica, but also supplies pictures of bank advertisements utilizing the Rabbit or “Bunny Bucks” as it was later known. There is even an advertisement depicting the Rabbit Bank, itself.
Coast Federal Savings & Loan, Assn. Banthrico Bank Data Sheet. Pg. 1 of 3 Pages.
The book illustrations are colorful, informative, and instructive. The organization is outstanding. If you ever want to develop a catalogue of your collection, Lance has laid out a format that makes you want to start doing it today.
SBCS Members can download the electronic file in the Members Only section of this website.
It is just 2 months until the 2015 SBCS Convention in Orlando, Florida!
UPDATES:
Among the activities scheduled is a field trip to Lakeland to view one of the largest collections in one place of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Other events include a tour of the SBCS Presentation of Souvenir Buildings Exhibit in the Rotunda of the Orlando City Hall, a visit to the home of a souvenir building collector, and the annual auction and raffle.
To read about Florida Southern College and the Frank Lloyd Wright connection visit William B. Carpenter’s website at http://www.franklloydwrightatfsc.com.
REMINDERS:
1. Get your hotel reservations. The rooms are going quickly. EMBASSY SUITES Orlando – Downtown. Phone 800-809-9708. Ask for Souvenir Building Collectors Society special rate!
2. Get your souvenir buildings for the City Hall Exhibit to Marty by March 14, 2015. Click here for more information about participating in the City Hall Exhibit. Also, you can email Marty at jakobchevy@bellsouth.net.
3. The newsletter is coming out soon with updates and registration material. We will post the Registration Materials after the Newsletter is available.
ONE: Members-Only Section Password has been reset as of February 2. Paid members will have received the new password for accessing the Members-Only sections of the website. Click here to see the full process.
TWO: Organizers are seeking souvenir buildings for the SBCS Exhibit of Souvenir Buildings at the Orlando City Hall. If you plan to submit any of your collection for inclusion now is time to get pictures and information to Marty G. —— ASAP. Instructions for submission can be accessed by clicking here.
SBCS 