Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 14, 2016
Lannan Ship Model Gallery is having a moving auction in late September. Along with over 650 lots of ship models and nautical antiques, including lanterns, telegraphs and binoculars, the original architect's model of the iconic Trump Tower will be sold.
One of the model makers, Norman Brosterman, shared his story:
"While still in architecture school in the late 1970’s I was hired to be the assistant to the master model-maker at Swanke, Hayden, Connell, a large New York architectural practice that specialized in corporate skyscrapers. Trump Tower, on Fifth Avenue at 56th Street, was our most important job at the time so the partners instructed us to build a 1/32 scale model of the neighborhood around the building – both sides of Fifth Ave. from 55rd Street north to 59th Street.
When the lacquered acrylic model was finished, Der Scutt, the building’s designer, came to see it with Donald Trump. Looking at the model Trump said, “is it accurate?” My boss, Juan, a great model maker who had come from Cuba in 1959, responded with annoyance, “yes, it’s accurate, we’re all architects here.” Trump then said, “are you sure? My building looks a little small. He then said, “can you make my building taller?” To this, Der Scutt replied, “I’ll ask.”
Two weeks later when Scutt and Trump returned to the model shop Trump immediately said, “it looks better” despite the fact that we had done absolutely nothing to the model. Scutt, a bravado kind of guy like Trump, had simply lied to him. Trump then said, “but the GM Building, it’s so tall, can you make my building taller?” Der Scutt said, “no, we can’t make it any taller.” Trump thought for a few seconds and then said, “well, can you make the GM building shorter?” Scutt said, “sure” and laid a steel ruler against the side of the GM building. Trump took a pencil and scored the bottom of the ruler, I got down and unscrewed the building (which was about two feet tall), laid it down on the table saw, sawed off the top 1/3 of the building, and replaced it on the model. Trump said, “great.” And left.
True story.
Norman Brosterman"
The two-day auction starts Saturday, September 24th and ends when the last lot is sold on Sunday September 25th. See Bostonharborauctions.com for a catalog.
