THE GUIDE

Puck Building

Austrian-born publisher Joseph Keppler commissioned this building in 1885 from architect Albert Wagner to house the humorous magazine Puck. It has a facade decorated with red bricks and is an example of Rundbogenstil style, widespread at the end of the nineteenth century. It was built in two stages, the north section in 1885-1886 and the south in 1892-1893. Part of it was later demolished in 1899 to make way for Lafayette Street. Today it is a condominium of apartments.
The name of the magazine is inspired by the character of the Shakespearean comedy “A Midsummer Night's Dream” Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, in turn inspired by the homonymous figure of British mythology. At the entrance there is a cherub statue that recalls the character of the comedy.

References

Kenneth T. Jackson, Lisa Keller, Nancy Flood. The Encyclopedia of New York City: Second Edition. Yale University Press, 2010. p. 1058
Bill Harris. One Thousand New York Buildings. Black Dog & Leventhal, 2005. pp. 120-121
New York’s Historic Puck Building (Driehaus Museumm)
Puck Building (Wikipedia)

Photo

Puck: "Congratulations, Mr. President; they wanted you" / Keppler. (Foto The Library of Congress)