Townley and Matheson (1919-1964)
Townley, Matheson & Associates (1965)
Townley & Matheson, Kelly, Humphrey & Ritchie (1966)
Townley, Matheson & Partners (1967-1974)

Store flyer for Belleek China, from the D.E. Hutchinson Jewelers store in Vancouver, previously located at 683 Granville Street (now the site of the Sears building, former Eaton’s Pacific Centre). This is a bit late for Valentine’s, but better late than never? Oh, except D.E. Hutchinson closed decades ago, before Eaton’s Pacific Centre was built. Actually, I don’t see the business listed in the 1940 phone book, so that means they must have been there some time later from the 1940s-1960s. Store flyer for sale on ebay. Happy Valentine’s Day none the less!

Granville submitted by Joyce InHwa Seo, a fourth year student at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, graduating in May of 2012. The piece was designed for the Granville Street Public Art: Electrical Kiosk Wrap Project. Joyce indicates that the electrical box is located on the corner of Granville and West Pender street (just a block away from yesterday’s post!) So I loaded Google street-view, only to find Granville Street still closed for Canada Line construction! The hunt is on; can you find the electrical box?!

Great work Joyce, and props to Emily Carr and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association for the renewed electrical box wrap campaign! You can view more from the project at: www.facebook.com/groups/downtownboxes/

A busy afternoon at Granville and Hastings, from The Vancouver Sunday Sun, July 18, 1920. I believe the drawing is by Ernest LeMessurier who was a UBC grad in 1916, working as a cartoonist in Vancouver in 1920, later to become a cartoonist for the Montreal Star, an English-language Canadian newspaper (which eventually folded in 1979 following an eight-month pressmen’s strike; the Star’s building, presses, and archives were acquired by The Gazette).

I like the fact that a sandwich board is employed to sell cheap land here, a man advertises a baseball game from a horse or donkey, and a tourist is lost in the centre of the street, looking for the Lions! Also, if you pay close attention, we are still driving on the wrong side of the road, (we switched Jan 1st, 1922) and a policeman directs traffic as there are no traffic lights; the first one was installed in 1928! Aside from a few small changes (like the changing of the flags atop the Sinclair Centre), the scene still looks pretty much the same as it does today!

Granville Bridges, a 48”x60” acrylic painting on canvas by Tom Carter. This fine perspective illustrates nearly the exact same moment in time as last week’s post, showing the Granville Street bridge nearing completion. The advert makes the bridge look as though it is already finished, but I believe some fancy photo retouching is merely giving that illusion.

Dominion Bridge advertisement, from the March 1954 issue of the BC Professional Engineer. This artwork is just barely appropriate here, as it is essentially comprised of a retouched photograph, but perhaps just this once I will dedicate this post to the unknown photo retouching artist. The ad provides some interesting documentation of the construction of the current Granville Street bridge which opened on February 4, 1954. Inside the magazine, there is an in-depth article titled “The Traffic Aspect of the New Granville Street Bridge” by K. Vaughan-Birch, required reading for any urban design students studying bridges today! Tweet me if you’d like to read this issue!

Illustration of the Metro Cooperative Theatre Society vying for theatre space in the early days of Granville Island, from the cover of Performance, Magazine of the Arts in Vancouver, dated April 1-15, 1977. At this point in time, the paper was free twice a month, working towards a paid circulation. I don’t know how long it lasted. The masthead/imprint reveals that the publisher was Anthony R. Chick, the editor was Toni Dabbs, Richard Harrington was both the ad manager and art director, and Beverly Smith was production assistant. The drawing is signed Harrington, so presumably that was Richard Harrington, though I don’t think it was this Richard Harrington. Inside I spotted an article by Bob Cummings, who was an early influential writer for the Georgia Straight. Interesting little paper; anyone else remember anything about it?

Illustration of the New Orpheum by Ian Blanchet, from the cover of the book Fifty Years on Theatre Row by Ivan Ackery. Shown courtesy of Hancock House Publishers.

The Yale Hotel by Cristina Peori, from a series of paintings in the show Barscapes currently on display at the Havana Restaurant, 1212 Commercial, Vancouver. The show includes the work of Cristina Peori, MoFaux, Dena Skalin, Bruce Walther, and runs from August 21 through September 3, 2011. More from this show later this week.

British Columbia Beginning, from 1958; the mural at the former CIBC Building, 586 Granville at Dunsmuir Street, designed by BC Binning and completed with the assistance of Professor Santagostino in Venice, Italy. Post now updated with full text from the brochure:

The Mural and the Artist

The magnificent mural, reproduced in natural colour on the inside pages of this folder, is of historic interest. Not only does it depict the basic resources and industries of British Columbia as the pivotal point in the development of the Province, but it is believed that this is the only true mosaic mural in Canada.

The mural was designed by B.C. Binning, the famous Vancouver artist, and completed with the assistance of Professor Santagostino in Venice, Italy. When Mr. Binning began to plan his work he felt that to depict the resources and industries of British Columbia in descriptive and literal terms seemed crass and inadequate to the spirit he had in mind. What he ultimately decided to attempt was to identify the theme, using some sort of readable iconography, or symbolism, and then enrich this language with all the colour, texture, pattern and general aesthetic excitement at his command.

The problem of attaining maximum richness, in keeping with the overall decor, involved the choice of media. Mr. Binning decided that the choice of mosaic as the medium would solve this problem, thus expressing the future, wealth and interest of the Province by the interpretation of the theme rather than by literal description of it, at the same time maintaining harmony with the architectural surroundings. The wisdom of Mr. Binning’s choice of medium can now be realized and admired as the mural in its finished state is a striking example of the artist’s ability, and a lasting tribute to his skill.

B.C. Binning is Associate Professor of Art, and Curator of the Fine Arts Gallery at the University of British Columbia. He won scholarships in earlier years through his artistic ability, is an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy, and his work has been exhibited in major exhibitions in Canada and other countries. The completion of this mural by Mr. Binning will be  one of British Columbia’s memorable artistic events, not only because it is a masterpiece in the art of mural design, but also because it was unveiled during the centennial year of the Province.

From a brochure seen at the VPL, Special Collections, N.W. 971.133 V22i Pam

The CIBC Building’s interior (or then as it was called, the Imperial Bank of Canada) at Granville & Dunsmuir Streets, illustration by J Douglas Hunter. Building by McCarter, Nairne, and Partners, architects and engineers. Brochure from the VPL, Special Collections, N.W. 971.133 V22i Pam

Here’s the view seen just before CIBC left the building in 2005, as well as the mural, photographed by me.

The CIBC Building, Granville & Dunsmuir Streets, illustration by J Douglas Hunter. Built by McCarter, Nairne, & Partners, architects and engineers in 1958. Brochure from the VPL, Special Collections, N.W. 971.133 V22i Pam. By comparison, see this contemporary photo by me before the bank’s conversion to a Shoppers Drug Mart.

From the Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Mid-Century Modern map:

McCarter & Nairne designed numerous downtown office buildings during the 1950s for financial institutions and insurance companies starting with the TD Building, and the Imperial Bank is the finest of the few survivors. This striking structure is composed of an office block of white Vermont marble supported around the perimeter by elliptical black granite columns that seems to float above the glassed-in banking hall. Inside is a stunning Venetian glass mosaic mural by artist B.C. Binning, celebrating British Columbia’s industries, crafts, and natural resources. Stretching 44 feet across the powerful banking hall, the mosaic required more than 200,000 pieces of glass to complete. Elegant, clean-lined walnut woodwork, terrazzo floors, and green marble tables and counters finish the interior.

Dine With Risty, diptych acrylic on canvas (48 x 60 inches x 2), by Tom Carter, Celebrating the City of Vancouver’s 125th anniversary at the Baron Gallery with a show of paintings of 1950’s Vancouver, May 11-Aug 27, 2011.

Willow Pattern, a political cartoon by Leonard Norris, lamenting the Granville Bridge fund going bankrupt. From the Vancouver Sun, May 22, 1952, as seen in the National Archives online. Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1988-243-1 Copyright: Estate of Leonard Norris

Wedgewood Verse | Vancouver Version

Two Pigeons Flying High, Three Years Flying By,
Chinese Vessel Sailing By, Ferry Vessel Sailing Nigh,
Bridge With Three Men, If Not Four, Bridge With Centre, Nothing More,
Weeping Willow Hanging O’Er. Weeping Public Hanging O’Er.