The NEW GARGOYLES

Two gargoyle segments before assembly. 
On the left, a falcon, and at right, the hand on which the falcon will rest.

Segments of a goat after kiln firing.

Like all four of the enclave's towers, No. 5 is undergoing repairs at present, among them the replication of several terra cotta gargoyles guarding its terraces.

The originals were installed in 1929 by Atlantic Terra Cotta, at the time the largest producer of architectural terra cotta in the world. 90 years later, several gargoyles had deteriorated beyond the point of restoration, and now are being replicated by Boston Valley Terra Cotta of Orchard Park, NY. [Among the company's current commissions is work for One Vanderbilt, the rising monolith across from Grand Central].

The new versions are being fabricated in three pieces ‒ the same way the originals were ‒ to be later assembled into one figure. Read more detail on Boston Valley's website, here.

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Speaking of gargoyles in need of repair, Gary the Lion (Woodstock resident and a favorite of this blog) could use some help with what appears to be a bad case of tennis elbow. . .