hard to find original profusely illustrated 1928 civic opera building rental book published by r.r. donnelley

samuel insull envisioned and hired the design team for building a new opera house to serve as the home for the chicago civic opera, as the company was called. the building is shaped like a huge chair, sometimes referred to as "insull's throne." insull directed the chair should face west to signify turning his back on new york. insull had left a vice presidency at general electric in new york in 1892, after he was not named its president. subsequently, he moved to chicago and became president of chicago edison (commonwealth edison).

insull selected the architecture firm graham, anderson, probst & white who were responsible for several other buildings in the downtown chicago loop. as they did on other occasions, the architects commissioned henry hering to produce architectural sculpture for the building.