original 1920s cook county criminal courts building cast brass jury box medallion designed by holabird and roche

original and documented c. 1929 american antique neoclassical style ornamental cast bronze medallion salvaged from a cook county criminal courts building jury box. the circular-shaped single-sided floral rosette was originally affixed flush to the outer wood panels of the jury box enclosure. (see reference images illustrating a similar configuration). the exact bronze metal fabricator is not known. the cook county jail and court house and/or criminal courts building (known in chicago as simply "26th and cal") is encompassed by a large complex of buildings covering nearly a square mile on the west side of chicago. the most significant building (from an architectural standpoint), was designed by architects hall, lawrence & ratcliffe (also designed chicago stadium) and opened in 1929. a neo-classical design clad in bedford limestone, the towering façade is dominated by eight massive doric columns topped by intricately carved figures representing law, justice, liberty, truth, might, love, wisdom & peace. when the jail opened, it was thought to house the largest concentration of prisoners, including al capone and john wayne gacy to name a few. measure 3 1/4 inches in diameter.