Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Jewish community building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 49; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Jewish community building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
Fonds
49
Series
1
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
[1915]-1940
Physical Description
174 architectural drawings
Scope and Content
Series consists of Benjamin Brown’s architectural plans and drawings of significant buildings designed or renovated for Toronto‘s Jewish community, including proposals that were never implemented. Contained within are renovation plans of the Beach Hebrew Institute synagogue, an ark design for the McCaul Street Synagogue, and the complete designs of the Henry Street Synagogue. The last of these projects is of particular significance, because it was the first synagogue in Toronto designed by a Jewish architect and was one of Brown‘s largest commissions. Drawings of the Primrose Club (a Jewish men’s club) and the Brunswick Talmud Torah Day School, as well as plans of Camp Yungvelt (a Jewish summer camp) are also included. Additionally, several preliminary sketches of synagogue facades are contained within.
The majority of these drawings are on tracing or drafting paper, several of which are in colour, and the remainder are either blueprints or drawn on cardboard. Floor plans, elevations, sections, foundation plans and sketches of building exterior facades and interiors are included. Additionally, there are drawings of windows, doors and synagogue arks.
Physical Condition
Several drawings and plans are in poor condition. See file level descriptions for further details.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 49; Series 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
Fonds
49
Series
2
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
1919-[1935]
Physical Description
327 architectural and technical drawings
Scope and Content
Series consists of Benjamin Brown’s architectural drawings of personal residences that were either designed or renovated for real estate developers, landlords or the occupants themselves. The majority of the buildings were designed for a Jewish clientele, many of whom were prominent citizens, including Louis Gelber and Mendel Granatstein. Brown also created designs for his own personal residence on Castle Frank Crescent, however the home was never completed. Most of the houses he designed or renovated were located in the Annex, Forest Hill, Casa Loma or Hillcrest neighborhoods. Many were designed with elements of Georgian, Craftman, Colonial Revival and/or Tudor architectural styles. They ranged from three storey mansions to small duplexes and single story homes. The vast majority of his commissions were standard three or four bedroom two storey homes.
The majority of these drawings are on tracing or drafting paper, several of which are in colour and the remainder are either blueprints or drawn on cardboard. Plans, sketches, elevations, sections, detailing and technical drawings of the residences are included.
Subjects
Dwellings
Physical Condition
Several drawings are in poor condition. See file level descriptions for further details.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Commercial building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 49; Series 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Commercial building plans and drawings series
Level
Series
Fonds
49
Series
3
Material Format
architectural drawing
graphic material
textual record
Date
1919-1949
Physical Description
ca. 1000 architectural and technical drawings
2 photographs : b&w ; 38 x 30 cm or smaller
1 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Series consists of architectural and technical drawings of commercial buildings that Benjamin Brown either designed or altered. Most of Brown’s clients were Jewish owned businesses, several of which were run by prominent members of the community. These businesses included Imperial Optical, Gelber Brothers Woolens, the City Dye Works, Schipper Brothers Furs, and the Empire Clothing Company.
Architectural plans of apartments, warehouses, theatres, service stations, banks, restaurants, stores, office towers, a bakery and a laundry are included. Several of these buildings are now designated as Toronto heritage buildings. These include the Balfour Building, the Hermant Building (eastern tower), the Hermant Annex, the Commodore Building and the Standard Theatre. Also included are plans of the headquarters of Famous Players Canada, which later became a subsidiary of Cineplex Odeon.
The majority of the drawings are either blueprints or pencil drawings on tracing or drafting paper, several of which are also in colour. Some are on linen weave or cardboard. Plans, elevations, sections, sketches, detailing, photographs of building exteriors, building specifications, and technical drawings of the buildings are included.
Physical Condition
Several drawings are in poor condition. See file level descriptions for further details.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Demonstration Drawings series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 49; Series 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Demonstration Drawings series
Level
Series
Fonds
49
Series
4
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
1910-[1935]
Physical Description
15 architectural drawings : 1 blueprint, pencil and 10 hand col. watercolour, pastel and pencil crayon, some on cardboard, some on verso of blueprints ; 55 x 70 cm or smaller
Scope and Content
Series consists of several high quality colour sketches of a variety of buildings. These have been grouped together to display Brown’s artistic ability and were originally used for both public display or as commissions. Drawings are sketches of both commercial and residential buildings. Among the sketches are building interiors and exteriors, an entrance, a theatre stage and a bedroom. Brown's sketch of a public library when he attended the University of Toronto is also included. Two drawings have been described at the item level, one is the library Brown drew when he was a student and the other is a house interior of exceptional quality.
Notes
Both drawings with item level descriptions are encased in Melinex.
Physical Condition
The two drawings in roll 1 are in need of conservation. Both have significant tears.
6/16/2015: The two rolled drawings were sent out for conservation treatments.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Reference materials series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 49; Series 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Reference materials series
Level
Series
Fonds
49
Series
5
Material Format
architectural drawing
textual record
Date
1912-1947
Physical Description
28 architectural drawings
15 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Series contains articles and illustrations from a book and several architecture and design journals that influenced Benjamin Brown‘s work, as well as plans of buildings he didn’t design, but he either subsequently altered, influenced his work or was built for one of his clients.
Included are the original plans of an office building of Doctors Solway and Pollock that Brown later altered, the plans of a Talmud Torah Hebrew School in New York City and the plans of a theatre on Kingston Road. Architectural drawings of the house of Samuel Godfrey and stores for Mr. A. Levy, both of whom hired Brown for other projects, are also included.
Source
Archival Descriptions