Lot 65235: Joseph Freedlander (American, 1870-1943) Statue of Mercury, Fifth Avenue Traffic

Joseph Freedlander (American, 1870-1943) Statue of Mercury, Fifth Avenue Traffic Light Decoration, 1931 Bronze with golden patina 16-1/2 inches (41.9 cm) high This bronze figure of Mercury was one of 104 which surmounted the traffic lights on the corners of Fifth Avenue from 8th Street to 59th Street in New York City during 1931 to 1964. Joseph H. Freedlander was tasked by the City of New York in the late 1920's to draft a modern, streamlined traffic signal to replace the bulky signal towers at the street corners. Freedlander's resultant design was a four-direction, two-light signal raised on a slender standard. It was one of the first examples of timed traffic lights in the city, alleviating street congestion caused by an increase in car ownership. Freedlander's signal was illustrative of the many municipalities across the United States incorporating elements of the Art Deco aesthetic in public environments to elicit an interpretation of a "modern" city. Christopher Gray, in his February 2, 1997 New York Times Article, Mystery of 104 Bronze Statues of Mercury, related that the last Mercury example was known to have been removed in 1964. Transportation employees were ordered to scrap the entirety of the signals, including the Mercury finials. Very few figures are recorded to have survived including one in the possession of the Fifth Avenue Association, two in the Museum of the City of New York, and approximately three in private collections. HID04901242017

Original mounting hardware to underneath, some pitting inherent to outdoor usage, sculpture with contemporary polish, bend and partial break to fabric tip, some rubbing and scratching, with wear commensurate with age and use.