The Brass Rail Wood Carving [[Help!)

[Brock7]

This clip of the bar facade is said to be from 1954.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MNpokiKog4

This clip is labeled from the 50's, but the signage looks to me like an earlier style than the previous clip. I think it must be the original configuration.
http://www.efootage.com/stock-footag...rass_Rail_Bar/

The clip is small and dark - I scaled it up and brightened it.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/6pjn0x
[[don't click the yellow bar at the top, click on the smaller light blue bar a little farther down)

I pasted the few sharp frames of the brightened clip together for a better picture of what it looked like.



The full size image is here:
http://i49.tinypic.com/2i96w5y.jpg

[Brock7]

So how many of these pair of carved figures were there, just the one on Michigan Ave. and the one at the GPC location, or was there one at the Woodward bar too?

From a vintage postcard on flicker.

"Adams at Grand Circus Park
William Boesky, host to Detroit since 1917"
http://www.flicker.com/photos/edge_a...n/photostream/

These archived threads give different addresses.

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1234994960
From a matchbook posted by Zitro
Downtown it's the Brass Rail Bar and Grill 116 Michigan [[next to Kinsel's)
Uptown it's Wm Boesky, Inc. Bar and Restaurant on Dexter at Collingwood
Centertown it's Webster Corner Bar in Hotel Webster Hall - - Cass at Putman

http://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messa...tml?1197985044
From a 1948 ad posted by Mikeg
Twenty West Adams
Michigan at Griswold
6545 Woodward Ave
Longest Bars in Michigan


1943 Menu
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JZ248-1943-b...item35bcd1916d

[AdairBar]

I am hoping to find some information on who the artist was that carved these men, and when it came to be a part of the Brass Rail Facade. I haven't been able to turn up anything in my research. Does anyone know any history behind this, or have an idea of where I can find the answers I'm looking for? Please help!! Thank you!!

we have A BIT MORE HISTORY AT THE bar...PHOTOS ETC

[AdairBar]

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/User/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]file:///C:/Users/User/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg[/IMG]
Joachim Jungwirth was famous and nationally known for his woodcarving and mold making that produced decorative plasters for major churches, banks, theaters and mansions of the wealthy. He worked with famous architects such as Alfred Kahn and others on some of most prestigious buildings in the Detroit area and around the nation and Canada. We were fortunate to make the discovery of most of the long lost studio inventory, consisting of over 521 original carvings, 2347 molds and 115 relief plasters, studio sample boards, and extensive documentation from the studio. These plasters are a great piece of American architectural past and can be used for decorative displays or instructional examples.

Birth:	Apr. 16, 1860, Germany 16 Apr 1860 in Humwald, Austria 1 2
Death:	Sep. 20, 1940 Detroit Wayne County Michigan, USA

Joachim Jungwirth was a well-known Wood Carver of such Works as The Famous Stove of Belle Isle and POSSIBLY The Giant Tire Along I-94. He Carved specialties in many famous Houses-he also did Carving at The Windsor Ontario - Walker Estate

[Brock7]

That must be the earliest picture you have there AidarBar. The letter style of the sign looks similar to that of the drawing on the 1943 menu, but it says "BAR GRILL" instead of "THE BRASS RAIL".

Here's the only photo of the woodward location I could find, from 1976 I think. So I geuss it didn't have carved figures for the facade. Crawford Men's Wear next door at 6549 is noted as being built in 1942. Woolworth's a few doors down at the corner at 6559 was built 1940. Another building in the 6500's - 6525 is noted as built in 1942 as well.



http://www.placepromo.com/display.ph...iption=&page=9

I don't know though, maybe the Woodward bar did have the carvings as well, but they'd been removed by 1976. EastsideAl says it did in one of the archived threads. Both the facades and the bars were gone from the other locations.

115 Michigan Ave.
http://www.placepromo.com/display.ph...=&description=

20 W. Adams
http://www.placepromo.com/display.ph...=&description=

[Brock7]

I recently came across this Historic Designation Advisory Board report [[from 2001?) that attributes the GCP carving to Gustave Hildebrand who did the Brodhead Naval Armory wood carvings. They're wrong about the turkey and the kilt though, so maybe the Hildebrand attribution is wrong too.

Grand Circus Park Local Historic District - Final Report [[pdf download link)
page 11
In the 1950's & 1960's the Brass Rail was a chain of three bars in Detroit's downtown. Their exterior signage included a carved wood relief by the local sculptor Gustave Hildebrand. The wooden signage depicted one man in a stovepipe hat lifting a beer stein while another other man in a kilt carves a turkey. This decorative element is now located at a bar in Rochester, Michigan.

[Brock7]

Another color photo of the Grand Circus location.



http://www.pinterest.com/pin/204280533072311097/