Let's Start with New York City

Photo by Floyd Smith Sanford, III

Today, my husband, Sandy Sanford, and I photographed more than a dozen coats of arms -- representing Cunard Line ports of call -- that grace the building at #1 Broadway. I've glanced up at these often but never thought more than "hmm, nice colors!" Now, with a bit more study under my belt, these works mean much more to me.

I will post one or two photos every week along with comments. So -- let's start close to home. The arms above are labeled "New York," but seem to be more of a rendition or interpretation. They (and all of the designs) are executed in mosaic tile; if you look closely, you can see many missing tiles although the total effect is still beautiful.

The arms on #1 Broadway are not quite as elaborate as those that appear on the official city seal:

For a complete description, visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/features/greenbook_seal_flag.shtml; on www.nyc.gov.