University of Delaware Library

Special Collections Department

American-Moninger
Architectural Drawings
of Greenhouses and Conservatories

1936 - 1958

Manuscript Collection Number: 366
Extent: 51 items.
Content: Perspectives, elevations, floor plans, cross sections, and details.
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processed: May 1998 by Arthur Siegel.

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Table of Contents

Introductory Note

 The American-Moninger Greenhouse Manufacturing Corp. was based in Brooklyn, New York, designing and manufacturing greenhouses, solariums, show houses, workrooms, and conservatories for clients around the United States. The company is mentioned in the Greater New York City and Surrounding Territory Business Directory of 1954, which gives an address at 1820 Flushing Ave., Maspeth. There are separate references as late as 1927 to an American Greenhouse Manufacturing Corp., based in Chicago but with New York offices, and the John C. Moninger Co. in New York. It is possible that sometime after 1927 these two merged, though this is uncertain.

The collection contains 51 drawings which span the period 1936-1958, and includes perspectives, floor plans, elevations, cross sections, and details, all sketched in graphite. Most of the plans are for clients within the city of New York, or nearby in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Several are from as far afield as Ohio, Texas, or Missouri. The collection provides some useful information regarding American-Moninger's clients, for their names, towns, and occasionally addresses are provided in full on the plans. There are significant stylistic variations within the greenhouse designs, depending upon the type of structure and the needs of the client, and a majority of the drawings contain full perspectives of the proposed structure. With the exception of the caption "Drawn by G.R.K." on three of the sheets, the architects and designers are completely unknown. However, the descriptive text is written in various distinctive scroll and block styles, which may help to differentiate the work of one draftsman from another.

Sources:

American Greenhouse Manufacturing Company. American greenhouses: a book of conservatories, show houses, palm houses, solariums. Chicago: American Greenhouse manufacturing Co., [1933?].

Greater New York City & Surrounding Territories Business Directory. New York: Publishers Directory Publishing Corp., 1954.

Muller, Richard T. American Greenhouse Construction: Heating & Equipment. New York: A.T. De La Mare Co., Inc., 1927

Contents List

 Folder -- Contents

    Note:  items are listed chronologically.


F1   University of Tennessee Farm, Knoxville, Tenn. (Tennessee Valley Authority)
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #758, 1936 January 16 (revised: 3/23/36)
     Perspective, plan, elevation, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 24 1/4 x 36 1/4"

     Dr. W.C. Townsend, 48 Middle Brook Rd., West Hartford, Conn.
     Proposed aqualarium
     Sketch #764, 1936 January 25
     Perspective, elevation, plan, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 19 x 22"

     Mr. B.A. Bakhmeteff, 250 W. 57th St., New York City
     Proposed lean-to greenhouse
     Sketch #785, 1936 March 21
     Perspective, plan, section, elevation
     graphite on tracing paper; 19 « x 34 «"

     Mr. B.A. Bakhmeteff, 250 W. 57th St., New York City
     Proposed lean-to greenhouse
     Sketch #794, 1936 March 30
     Perspective, plan, section, elevation
     graphite on tracing paper; 25 x 34 «"

     P.L. Goodwin Estate, Styossett, Long Island (Angelo Barber, Supt.)
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #799, 1936 April 1
     Perspectives, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 26 x 36 «"

     Mr. H.G. Reinke, 219 Second St., Garden City, Long Island
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #837, 1936 May 6
     Perspective, elevation, section, plan
     graphite on tracing paper; 24 x 37"

     D.C. Perkins, M.D., 110 East 4th St., Jamestown, NY.
     Proposed solarium
     Sketch #855, 1936 May 26
     Perspective, elevation, plan, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 24 x 36 «"

     Mr. Leonard S. Smith Jr., Madisonville, Ohio
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #866, 1936 June 22
     Perspective, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 22 x 30 «"

     Mrs. J.H. Hayes, Green's Farms Conn.
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #873, 1936 July 1
     Elevations, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 24 1/4 x 36"

     Mr. Benjamin Harkavy, 172 Madison Ave., White Plains, NY.
     Proposed show house
     Sketch #895, 1936 September 11
     Perspective, elevation, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 x 35 «"

     Ferdinand A. Strauss, Holly Tree Farm, Seven Bridge Rd., Little Silver, NJ.
     Proposed greenhouse and workroom
     Sketch #900, 1936 September 22
     Perspective, plan, elevation, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 1/4 x 36"

     Mr. Henry H. Mandle, Demarest Ave., Closter, NJ.
     Proposed lean-to conservatory
     Sketch #905, 1936 October 2
     Perspective, plan, section, elevation
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 « x 35"

     Ford Gladden, West Delhi Ave., Holt, Michigan
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #914, 1936 October 17
     Perspective, elevation, plan, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 1/4 x 36"

     Mr. Frank Braisted, 80 Broad St., New York City
     Proposed conservatory
     Sketch #917, 1936 October 20
     Elevations, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 1/4 x 35 «"

     E.H. Eisenberg, Harrisburg, PA.
     Proposed show house
     Sketch #953, 1937 January 18
     Perspective, plan, elevations, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 « x 35 3/4"

     C.E. Wegner, 5 Tokeneke Rd., Darien, Conn.
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #956, 1937 January 22
     Elevations, section, plan
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 « x 35 «"

     W. John Wermuth, Clay Rd., Henrietta, NY.
     Proposed conservatory
     Sketch #979, 1937 February 24
     Perspective, elevations, plan, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 x 35 «"

     Jaques Weber, 16 Montrose Rd., Scarsdale, NY.
     Proposed greenhouse & workroom
     Sketch #987, 1937 March 23
     Perspective, elevations, plan, cross section
     graphite on tracing paper; 21 x 33"

     B.D. Riegel 542 Madison Ave. New York, NY.
     Proposed greenhouse in Southport, Conn.
     Sketch # 986, 1937 March 25
     Floor plan, elevations, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 x 35 3/4"

F1   John C. Butte, 119-139 Butte St., Steubenville, Ohio
     Proposed solarium
     Sketch #991, 1937 March 31 (revised 1937 April 23)
     Perspective, section, plan, elevation
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 « x 35 «"

     H. Hanson, South Third St., Lemoyne, PA.
     Proposed show house
     Sketch #1004, 1937 April 17
     Perspective, elevations, detail
     graphite on tracing paper; 23 « x 35 «"

     Park Commission, New Britain, Conn.
     Unidentified
     Sketch #2025 [SE-12], 1937 August 31
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 23 « x 36"
     This perspective was drawn by "G.R.K."

     Frederick W. Palmer, Albany, NY.
     Unidentified
     Sketch #2046A [SE-25], 1937 October 16
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 36"
     This perspective was drawn by "G.R.K."

     Mrs. H. Rivington Pyne, Far Hills, NJ.
     Proposed conservatory & workroom
     Sketch #2081 [CE-18], 1938 January
     Perspective and plan
     graphite on paper; 24 x 31 3/4"
     This perspective was drawn by "G.R.K."

     Mr. Peter Rush, 7052 Michigan Ave., Detroit, Michigan
     Proposed greenhouses, show house, workroom, & heating plant
     Sketch #2096 [SE-48], 1938 February 23
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; inscribed at bottom "General Plan SF Job - Heating Plans under
     heating"; 24 x 36"

     Mr. George Venard, 1421 E. 34th Street
     Proposed solarium [Sheet #2]
     Sketch #2121 [LT-19], 1938 March 15
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 24 x 36"

     Miss Marie MacDonald
     Greenhouse perspective
     Sketch # 2036 [LT-4], 1938 April 7
     Perspective and Floor plan
     graphite on paper; 18 x 30 3/4"

     Department of Hospitals, Welfare Island, City of New York
     Unidentified
     Sketch #2137, 1938 May 11
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 34 « x 22"

     Mr. Jean Pierre, 501 Madison Ave., New York City
     Perspective of proposed glass enclosure 
     Sketch #2141 [LT-25], 1938 May 16
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

     George F. Deutschmann, Des Peres, Missouri
     Proposed show house
     Sketch #2151 [SH-10], 1938 June 1
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34 1/4"

     City of Flint, Michigan
     Unidentified
     Sketch #2156 [SE-82], 1938 June 13
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 34 x 22"

     E. Romary & Son, Glen Rock, NJ.
     Proposed conservatories
     Sketch #2088 [SH-2], 1938 June 17
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

     Unidentified
     Sketch #2169 [CE-28], 1938 July 8
     Perspective, plan, section
     graphite on paper; 23 « x 15"

     Mr. W. Webber, Route No. 29, Springfield, NJ.
     Proposed store & greenhouse
     Sketch #2171 [SE-94A], 1938 July 13
     Front elevation
     graphite on paper; 34 x 22 «"

     Mr. R. L. Vann, Fourteenth St., Oakmont, PA.
     Proposed glass enclosure [Sheet #1]
     Sketch #2178 [CE-31], 1938 July 20
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 34 x 22"

     Mr. Emlyn Roberts, 130 W. Warren St., Dunmore, PA.
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #2192 [SE-108], 1938 July 30
     Perspective, Floor plan, elevation, section
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

     Mr. W. Webber, Route No. 29, Springfield, NJ.
     Proposed conservatory & greenhouse
     Sketch #2171 [SE-94 / CE-29], 1938 August 10 (revised)
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

     Mr. Samuel Gilbert, Monmouth County, NJ.
     Proposed greenhouses, boiler room, & workroom
     Sketch #2122 [SE-63], 1938 August 16
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 33 «"

     P. O'Loughlin & Son, Woodside, Long Island
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #2208A [SH-12], 1938 August 26
     Perspective, Floor plan, elevations, section
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

F1   Mr. Bancroft Gherardi, Short Hills, NJ.
     Proposed conservatory
     Sketch #2244A [CE-43], 1938 October 18
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; inscribed at lower right "Job with CE;" 22 3/4 x 33 «"

     Mr. I. Naman, 120 Berkeley St., Lawrens, Mass.
     Proposed conservatory
     Sketch #2261 [LT-39], 1938 November 11
     Perspective
     graphite on paper; 22 x 34"

     Sunseri's Floral Studio, Galveston, Texas
     Proposed conservatory
     Sketch #SH-29, 1940 August 1
     Plan, section, elevations
     graphite on tracing paper; 25 « x 29 3/4"

     Ellis College, Newton Square, Penna.
     Proposed greenhouse
     Sketch #SC-21, 1940 December 26
     Perspective, elevation, plans, section
     graphite on tracing paper; 20 3/4 x 36"

     Proposed lean-to and show house
     Plan # LSS-1, 1941 January 16
     Elevations, Floor plan, section
     graphite on paper; 21 x 24 3/4"

     Mr. A.J. Sipporta, Paramus, NJ.
     Solarium
     Drawing # S-227, 1949 December 12
     Elevations and roof plan
     graphite on tracing paper; 20 3/4 x 30 3/4"

     Mr. A.J. Sipporta, Paramus, NJ.
     Proposed solarium
     Drawing # S-225, 1949 December 12
     Floor and roof plans, elevations
     graphite on tracing paper; 20 x 29 «"

     Convent of the Sacred Heart, Norton, Conn.
     Proposed conservatory
     Plan #CE-123, 1955 March 24
     Elevations, plan, section
     graphite on paper; 23 x 30 «"

     Mr. G. Schroeder, Newton Square, Penn.
     New semi iron frame greenhouse
     Sketch #666, 1956 February 8
     Floor plan, elevations
     graphite on tracing paper; 17 x 30 1/4"

     Dr. Guy Payne, Verona, NJ
     Proposed lean-to greenhouse
     Sketch #CE126, 1956 February 28
     Elevations, plan, cross-section
     graphite on paper; 17 3/4 x 32 «"

     Mr. Ronald V. Sotardi, Flushing, NY.
     Proposed conservatory greenhouse
     Sketch #CE130, 1958 March 4
     Plan, front elevation, cross-section
     graphite on paper; 21 3/4 x 30 1/4"

     Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ.
     Proposed greenhouse & head house
     Sketch #S-3857, n.d.
     Elevation, plan, cross-section
     graphite on tracing paper; 14 3/4 x 30 1/4"
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