Description
James Salmon Jnr (Salmon, Son and Gillespie), 1899-1902.
Striking Art Nouveau commercial building. 8 storeys, attic
and basement. Narrow 3-bay elelvation; 2-outer bays
breaking forward to cant above 1st floor, rising to 5th.
Steel frame, ashlar faced. Left entry at head of steps with
leaded-glass bowed oriel over; larger oriel to similar window
in right E bay, with plain glass, over secondary entrance. 1st
floor sculpted frieze to either side of central arch with
corbels supporting canted bays. Canted bays above have slim
pilaster mullions with projecting bases and capitals
individually treated; bowed iron balconies to 6th floor;
cornice treated as cill band at each floor.
Central bays: ground and 1st floor central canted bay, column
mullions at ground, basement and 1st, 4-centred arched central
light at 1st with stylised keyblock. Bipartites above.
Solid curved parapet at 4th floor with sculpted and open
segmented moulding, detail arched recessed windows with
square section colonettes. 7th floor giant recessed canted
bay crowns whole elevation with pilaster architraves and
segmental pediments. Boldly projecting eaves; exaggerated
shaped dormers responsible for name "The hat-rack". Corniced
end stack.
INTERIOR: wrought-iron lift shaft. Stained glass over W door.
Retains some timber and plaster details.
Very elaborate Art Nouveau metalwork particularly at roof
level and at lift.