Can't find Mercury statuettes that  were designed by Joseph H.
Freedlander that adorned Fifth Avenue Traffic Lights.
 WHAT happened to the bronze statues of Mercury that used to adorn the tops of
the traffic lights on Fifth Avenue?" writes John Morrin, an art collector who
has lived in midtown since the 1950's. "Those bronzes were worth a lot of
money."
 
   The 17-inch-high statues, familiar ornaments on Fifth Avenue from 1931 to
1964, were grace notes in a decades-old battle to keep both pedestrians and
vehicles moving along one of the city's premiere streets.

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 01 Apr 2004 16:57 PST

Dear dolgow,

According to an art history website, three of Freedlander's mercury
statuettes can still be found, though not on Fifth Avenue anymore:

"In the late 1920s, he was asked by the City of New York to design a
series of bronze lightposts for Fifth Avenue. The first, completed in
1931, was installed at 41st and Fifth, and 103 others followed between
8th and 59th Streets. Each traffic light was topped by a bronze
statuette of Mercury. In the late 20th century, only three survived,
two at the Museum of the City of New York and one in the offices of
the Fifth Avenue Association."

Source: AskArt - Freedlander, Joseph Henry
http://www.askart.com/artist/F/joseph_henry_freedlander.asp?ID=111191

Unfortunately, I can't confirm existence of the bronzes at the museum
and at the offices. However, if this information appears useful to
you, please let me know.

Regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by dolgow-ga on 02 Apr 2004 10:21 PST

My grandfather Samuel Dolgow was a partner in Reliance Bronze and
Steel (the name that was always referred to by my Uncle) the company
that made the Mercury statuettes that adorned the Traffic light on
Fifth Avenue from about 1930 to 1964.
I know that they were designed by Joseph H. Freedlander (the architect
that designed the Museum of the City of New York) in 1924-25). In fact
pictures of these statuettes and lights can be found at:
www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/html/citylights/timeline/lamp14.html

My family and I have been trying to find out the "whole" story and
what has happened to the statuettes. We of course, would like to
obtain one and pass it down through the generations. I believe that
Reliance went on the NY Stock Exchange just before the 1929 crash and
at some time afterward went into bankruptcy (again I don't know the
dates).

I would also like to know the name, address of the company and any
information on its bankrupcy.