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The above poster was found in the glass-cutting room in the basement of the Harmon building.  Warp's is still in business -- since 1924 -- and you can find their website by clicking here.  It would appear from their website, their logo has changed in all these years.  The above poster appears to be for 1975; about the time Fred Dillingham had the hardware store in this building.

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Yesterday's squint shot explained one of the basement rooms of the Harmon building.  These two pictures show how the glass was stored:

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After spending close to an hour on the second and third floors of the Harmon building, my fellow explorer and I headed to the basement.  We explored a little but the most interesting room we went into was one I hadn't ventured into before.  A large pane of glass and door separates this room from the rest of the basement.

 

As it turned out, this room was used for glass cutting.  Thank goodness for my partner-in-exploration because it had lots of interesting things to check out. 

 

The following two pictures show a small, low cabinet that may have held items necessary for glass-cutting:

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While still in the ballroom/meeting hall on the third floor of the Harmon building, formerly used by members of both the International Order of Odd-Fellows and the Masons, I noticed this very funky, crusty jar.  I took pictures and decided I'd be doing more research online to figure out what this "lite-tex buff" paint was all about. 

It would appear lead and color paint was very profitable.  I found the following picture and information online at one website and also you can click here for a wikipedia page:



William C. Boydell Home

4614 Cass Avenue near Wayne State University
and Detroit’s Cultural Center

In 1865, John Boydell founded a paint company in Detroit. His business expanded and his firm developed into a major national supplier of paints, varnishes and oils. As Mr. Boydell aged his sons took over the Boydell Brothers White Lead and Color Company. The firm remained in the hands of the Boydell family until 1959 when it was purchased by a Wyandotte firm.

William C. Boydell served as vice-president and treasurer of the family firm. In the 1890s, he asked Detroit architect, Almon Clother Varney, to design an appropriate home in one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Varney built a classical Beaux Arts double house using limestone on the lower floor and brick above. As you look at the home pictured above, you not only see the two entryways indicating a double home, but you appreciate the massive size and impressive nature of the house. This is the type of late nineteenth century residence that you might find in some neighborhoods of New York or London.

Architect: Almon Clother Varney
Date of construction: 1895
Architectural style: Beaux Arts
City of Detroit Local Historic District: Not listed
State of Michigan Registry of Historic Sites: Not listed
National Register of Historic Places: #82002892; Listed March 19, 1982
Use in 2005: This may still be used as a residence. It appears to be awaiting refurbishing as the Cass Corridor gradually becomes an attractive location.
Photograph: Ren Farley, May, 2005

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After my fellow explorer and I checked out the cloak room, we wandered aimlessly through the big ballroom.  Over the years, I've taken a load of pictures of these rooms and you can see them all by using the search box at the upper right hand side of this blog.  You can type in Harmon building or Palmerton building or even Sidell building to see various pictures I've taken.

 

Two things I never noticed, nor got pictures of, are two pocket doors from the cloak room to the ballroom.  I tentatively opened the closed doors and they both slid like moving your hand over silk cloth -- there was no hesitation, catching, or even sound as the doors easily slid open.  Amazing to me.  After all these years, the craftsmanship of creating these two pocket doors shone through.  The only other time I've come across pocket doors like these are the ones found in the old Nellie Glenn house (make use of the search box to check out those squint shots). 

The picture above was taken without the flash, but I used the flash to show the following hardware for the doors:

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After checking out most everything on the second floor of the Harmon building, my fellow explorer and I climbed the massive stairway to the third floor; the location where members of the International Order of Odd-Fellows and members of the Masons would meet.

We wandered from room to room and I found more things to take pictures of which I had missed in previous visits.  In the cloakroom, we found this box cover. 

My curiosity got the better of me and I did some research online.  I came across the following recap from one website for Frank Henderson:

Frank Henderson was selling and/or making swords, regalia and military goods from 1850 until his death in 1899 and his company, Henderson-Ames co continuing until 1923. From 1850 to 1871 he operated his business under his name, Frank Henderson, in Kalamazoo MI. In 1871, Henderson formed a partnership with Theron F. Giddings and started the Henderson & Giddings co. This only lasted until 1873 when the name was changed back to Frank Henderson. From 1873 to 1893 Henerson put out catalogs selling fraternal goods and began selling as an agent for the Ames Sword co. In 1893, Henderson consolidated his regalia company with the Chicago based branch of the Ames Sword Co. forming the Henderson Ames Co. In 1894, Henderson bought the Detroit regalia factory of E. A. Armstrong, including sword plant, stock, tools, machinery, furniture and fixtures. When Henderson died in 1899, his firm continued in business until it was purchased and dissolved by M. C. Lilley Co. in 1923.

So it would appear this box top has sat on the third floor, preserved, since as long ago as 1923.

I also found the following picture (taken in 2011) of the house/castle built by Mr. Henderson, located in Kalamazoo:

You can read more on the house and the Hendersons by clicking here, which will take you to a wikipedia page -- interesting read!

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My fellow explorer and I were on the second floor of the Harmon building a few weeks back.  If you have read this blog for very long, you probably have recognized I'm somewhat fascinated with this building rebuilt in 1892 after a devastating fire that burned all of the wooden buildings in the northeast quadrant, ultimately leaping over North Grand River and destroying this building.

 

The second and third floors are time capsules of days gone by when doctors and lawyers and dentists filled the second floor, and members of the International Order of Odd-Fellows would hold monthly meetings.  Those activities were years and years ago.

 

In the not-to-distant past -- 1980s -- Fred Dillingham used the first floor for his hardware store.  He may have also used the north portion of the second floor for some items.  In the floor, the following two pictures show a trap door:

This picture shows a massive hook in the ceiling directly above the trap door:

And, this picture shows what was possibly the platform used to lift items from the first floor through the trap door, with a chain/possibly pulley system attached to the hook in the ceiling to the round top of the metal braces.

It would be totally wonderful if anyone remembers this and could either confirm our assumptions or correct it -- I would put an update on the article.