How Did the Ellicott Square Building Angel Lose Its Head?

[Achbek1]

Okay all you WNY architecture aficionados, I have a question for you regarding a local historic building.

Above the Washington Street doorway of the Ellicott Square building the angel on the right side is missing its head.

Some friends and I wonder how the angel lost its head. Was it the work of vandals? Or was it from some sort of erosion? I found a picture of it that someone uploaded on Flickr. The photo shows some blackness around the angel's shoulders and neck. Could that be erosion?

Here is the photo link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2636/3960386581_ab0c101b9e.jpg

Either way, it's very interesting and intriguing.

If you have details, please share.

[mesue]

I wonder how long it's been like this?

[WNYresident]

Way Cool Building. I took this about Tuesday, March 02, 2004,

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyolm/5452678432/" title="Ellicott Square Building by tonyolm, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5452678432_d57a5bd764.jpg" width="500" height="343" alt="Ellicott Square Building" /></a>

[Achbek1]

Way Cool Building. I took this about Tuesday, March 02, 2004,

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyolm/5452678432/" title="Ellicott Square Building by tonyolm, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5452678432_d57a5bd764.jpg" width="500" height="343" alt="Ellicott Square Building" /></a>

So the head disappeared within the past few years?

What is the black stuff around the shoulders in the other picture?

If some kind of erosion was dripping from the overhang, it may have only landed on the right side and not the left.

Or was it vandals?

[WNYresident]

I think that's bird poopy...

I don't know if that is the same door or not.

[Achbek1]

I think that's bird poopy...

I don't know if that is the same door or not.

Are there angels on both sides? The Washington Street one is headless.

If so, maybe they could make a plaster cast of the other's head to make a replacement for the Venus de Milo'd one on the other doorway.

[mesue]

Way Cool Building. I took this about Tuesday, March 02, 2004,

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5452678432_d57a5bd764.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyolm/5452678432/)
Nice pic. It's beautiful on the inside as well.

[WNYresident]

The roof is way cool

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyolm/5080126540/" title="ellicott by tonyolm, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5080126540_3ae4c36942.jpg" width="500" height="369" alt="ellicott" /></a>

[Frank Broughton]

I have a friend that works in the building, I just sent him a PM on another forum asking him if he knows about this.

[WNYresident]

Statue repair

I wonder if they still have the missing part..

http://www.archicast.com/Statue-repair_page.html