Jan 13
In 1837, amid America's first major depression, Charles Tiffany opened his first small store opposite City Hall in NYC. Business boomed – he moved to 271 Broadway in 1847, then built a grand new flagship at 550 Broadway in 1853.
To fix a "monotonous" façade, he asked his friend, ship figurehead carver Henry Frederick Metzler, to create a 9-foot Atlas statue holding a 4-foot clock above the entrance.
The result? A unique, bearded, lanky Atlas – slim and dignified (not the usual bulky muscle), nearly naked except for a leather strap, poised mid-step like he's about to walk off.
This iconic piece became a NYC landmark, later moving with Tiffany to its famous Fifth Avenue spot (and inspiring the Atlas watch collection!).
