Name/Title
Mahogany Sculpture of "Little Charleston Bench"Entry/Object ID
2009.021.1Description
Photograph of a mahogany sculpture of a park bench that was used as the pattern for many park benches throughout Charleston, including Waterfront Park, various bus stops, the Charleston Visitors Center, various parking garages, Wragg Square, etc. Many of those benches bear the artist's name "Runyon." The design consists of gargoyles capturing birds of paradise and other ornamentation, and was based on a ca. 1880 "Little Charleston Bench" a/k/a "Battery Bench."
J&M Foundry (Charleston), with which the donor/artist was affiliated, was contacted by the City of Charleston to design and cast the benches. Mr. Runyon was retained to sculpt the pattern.
See photo of some of the actual benches, 2009.021.2a.Context
In 1989, the City of Charleston contacted J&M Foundry, where the artist/donor worked on occasion, to design and manufacture park benches for Waterfront Park (and other sites) at the time the Park was being developed.
These benches had 4 slats in both the seat and the back, and the seat slats were concave.Collection
HCF Image CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2009.021.Source or Donor
Runyon, Donald R.Acquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Gift of Mr. Donald R. RunyonInscription/Signature/Marks
Notes
The photograph is dated November 13, 1989, with sign "Sculpture by D.R. Runyon."Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
PhotographNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsLOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
GargoylesSearch Terms
Benches--Models, Garden ornaments and furniture, Birds of paradise (Birds), MahoganyLocation
Location
Container
PhotoBox 14Shelf
AV MaterialsRoom
Margaretta P. Childs ArchivesBuilding
Missroon HouseCategory
PermanentDate
February 7, 2023Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
August 20, 2009Updated By
sferguson@historiccharleston.orgUpdate Date
August 7, 2023