Howard Jewellers, Ottawa

It would appear that Howard Jewellers took over this streamline building as their Ottawa store in 1967. Prior to that I don't know who occupied this prime corner retail location.

The rondelle below the clock on the curved corner of the building carries the dates 1871 - 1949 so I assume it was built in 1949.

The rondelle also bears a shield with the coats of arms of the Canadian provinces and native fauna such as the beaver, fox and geese.

Snowdon Theatre, Montreal

No doubt, The Snowdon Theatre is one of Montreal's best Art Deco buildings.

The main auditorium was constructed in 1937 with Daniel John Crighton the architect. The streamline fin and angled marquee were added in 1950.

The interior decoration was designed by Emmanuel Briffa.

The theatre closed in 1982 and since then the balcony area has been levelled off and is now used as a gym by Flex-Art Gymnastics.

The Snowdon Theatre is owned by the City of Montreal but there are concerns that it may be suffering from 'demolition by neglect', a question as posed in an article on www.westislandchronicle.com by Martin C Barry from March 2009.

Preparing this blog I have removed any doubt from my mind. The Snowdon Theatre is the best Art Deco I saw in Montreal.

Eltham, Elizabeth Bay

I like the way the shadows fall across the brick frontage of Eltham, this Art Deco block of flats in Elizabeth Bay in Sydney.

The building itself is asymetrical with a raised section perhaps providing access to a roof terrace. This taller area of the facade has a small vertical section with three louvre windows in the centre and a protruding semi-circular disk at top and bottom. It looks to me as if some part of the decoration is missing.

The raised section also marks a narrow wooden doorway into the flats with a very nice decorative metal grill.

A Streamline Building in Cape Town

This streamline art deco building is in downtown Cape Town. I saw it during the 2003 World Congress on Art Deco but it wasn't part of the tour so I don't know what building it is at all.

I know where it is. Diagonally opposite Muller's Optomerists. Maybe someone from Cape Town can identify it for me.

It has this fabulous stepped clock on the corner above the verandah but looks a bit unloved.

Criterion Hotel, Perth

The Criterion Hotel is the oldest hotel in Perth with the original licence dating from 1840.

Obviously at some point the facade was redesigned in Art Deco style and it presents a wonderful frontage along Hay Street.

Public Baths, Eltham

The public baths in Eltham in South-East London were built in 1939 but with the redevelopment of Eltham Centre in incorporating a new swimming pool rendered it surplus to requirements.

The site was sold in January 2008 for £4m and since then I beleive the building has been demolished.

Henry Lomb Memorial, Rochester

In the mid 19th century Henry Lomb loaned his friend John Bausch some money to help out the optical shop Bausch was operating in Rochester, NY. After a short time he became his business partner and together they formed the company Bausch & Lomb.

Lomb died in 1908 after serving the Rochester community as a public benefactor and in the 1930s a memorial was erected to his memory.

It was designed by Walter H Cassebeer from black ganite and stands 48 feet tall.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Deepdene

I saw a lot of churches on my recent trip to Montreal which no doubt will make an appearance here at some time in the future but today I thought I'd stay closer to home.

This is Our Lady of Good Counsel in the Melbourne suburb of Deepdene.

According to Robin Grow in his book Melbourne Art Deco, it was designed by Lionel San Miguel and constructed after WWII.

I like the way that simple decoration has been incorporated using partially projected or recessed bricks and the contrast between the cream bricks and the white of the cross and the decoration on the roofline.