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All the United States New York State New York City Manhattan REI's Wall of Litho Stones

REI's Wall of Litho Stones

A trove of century-old litho stones from the Puck Building's printing days were discovered behind a cellar wall, and are now hanging in the store.

New York, New York

Added By
Aaron Netsky
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Second half of the wall   Aaron Netsky
Second half of the wall   Aaron Netsky
Wall of litho stones   Aaron Netsky
They were discovered behind the wall of the cellar during renovation   Aaron Netsky
A high school diploma   Aaron Netsky
A certification of election in the City of New York   Aaron Netsky
Some of the stones have pictures in addition to words, as this mortgage bond does   Aaron Netsky
Some are in worse shape than others   Aaron Netsky
A very old litho stone   Aaron Netsky
First half of the wall   Aaron Netsky
One of the flywheels from the steam engine that powered the presses   Aaron Netsky
The governor from the steam engine that powered the presses   Aaron Netsky
  tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
  cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
  cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
  cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
  cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Litho Stones   Guru Chill / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In 2011, while the REI store in the Puck Building in Manhattan's SoHo district was undergoing renovation, workers made an unexpected discovery. Hidden behind one of the walls of the cellar were more than 100 lithography stones from the building’s days as a printer. They are now on display on the store’s lower floor. 

The historic building got its name from the magazine Puck, the first wide-reaching humor publication in the United States, which was founded in 1871 and moved to lower Manhattan in 1887. It shared the space, in a mutually beneficial relationship, with its printer, J. Ottman Lithographic Company. Their shared headquarters was the largest building in the printing district at the time.

J. Ottman Lithographic Company printed many things beyond the Puck magazines, including theatrical posters and board games. Among the works now hanging on the REI wall are a high school diploma, a certificate of election, and a mortgage bond. Some of the litho stones are in rougher shape than others.

Most of the writing and images on the stones is “backwards,” standard practice so that the final print is the reverse of what is seen on the plate or stone. Some, though, were prepared for offset printing, which involves an additional step between the plate and the final product. The inked image, prepared “forwards,” or as it would be seen in the final product, is first transferred to a rubber blanket, reversing the image once, and then to the final surface, setting it right.

Puck continued to operate out of the Puck Building until 1918, when it ceased publication. It was known for beautiful, full-color lithographs and sharp political satire. Statues of the magazine’s mascot, Puck, decorate the outside of the building. J. Ottman Lithographic Company shuttered around the same time. Other printing companies, and even another satirical magazine, have called the building home since the original tenants left.

During REI’s renovation, a deliberate effort was made to repurpose materials from the original building. Fixtures from the steam engine that powered the presses are on permanent display, including two flywheels and the governor. Nineteenth century I. P. Frink chandeliers, newly fitted with LED lights, help light the main floor.

Related Tags

Printing Art History Literature

Community Contributors

Added By

AaronNetsky

Edited By

tylercole, cait7911, Guru Chill

  • tylercole
  • cait7911
  • Guru Chill

Published

April 24, 2017

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Sources
  • https://nyhistorywalks.wordpress.com/tag/puck-building/
  • http://www.modernmetals.com/item/11024-reconstructing-history.html
  • http://inhabitat.com/nyc/rei-sports-preserves-sohos-historic-puck-building-for-massive-flagship-store/
  • http://www.schimenti.com/adm/images/press_releases/REI%20PR%20FINAL.pdf
  • http://blog.driehausmuseum.org/2016/09/01/new-yorks-historic-puck-building/
  • http://digitalhistory.hsp.org/hint/politics-graphic-detail/org/j-ottman-lithographic-company
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puck_Building
  • http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/02/the-magazine-that-made-and-unmade-politicians.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puck_(magazine)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_printing
REI's Wall of Litho Stones
303 Lafayette St
New York, New York
United States
40.724729, -73.995422
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