The Egyptian-themed artwork on the former Birks Building, Portage Avenue

 © 2021, Christian Cassidy

Someone recently asked me about the Egyptian-themed motifs that can be found on the facade of 276 Portage Avenue at Smith Street. I found the answers in the building's City of Winnipeg Historic Buildings Report.

The building opened in 1901 as the city's original YMCA, complete with a swimming pool. The "Y" moved to their Vaughan Street location in 1912 and this building was sold to Henry Birks and Sons of Montreal.

In April 1910, Birks was granted a $20,000 building permit for a complete renovation of the building that included a new facade. This is what the old one looked like - though the card is marked "Birks Building", this is an image of the YMCA with the name changed.

Birks may have been unhappy with the building or the renovations as a December 1911 Winnipeg Tribune story reported that the company wanted to demolish the building and in its place construct a ten-storey office block with a store on the main floor. There was no follow-up story as to why the new building did not go ahead.

According to the Historic Buildings report, the medallions and frieze, all done in terra cotta, were designed by Percy Erskine Nobbs (also see) of Montreal and Professor Ramsay Traquair of McGill University, (Birks was based in Montreal.) They were designed in half size, photographed and the negatives were sent to Winnipeg where they were created by local craftsmen.

Quoting the report: “Above the third-floor openings are six terra-cotta medallions depicting the sources of the materials used by jewellers (a seventh medallion is found at the same level on the Smith Street façade)." These are:

- An elephant for ivory
- A Kimberley (South Africa) Negro searching for diamonds 

- A man diving for pearls

- An oceanic wave delivering the riches of the sea (mother-of-pearl, coral and a tortoise shell)

- A precious metal-smelting gnome
- A man displaying precious stones
- A silversmith surrounded by the tools of his trade

As for the frieze, the report quotes a 1967 Winnipeg Free Press feature on the building: "To best view the storied frieze, one should start from the centre. To the left is the King (Solomon) and his court followers, to the right, the Queen (of Sheba) and her entourage. The Queen is kneeling to receive the gift of a pearl necklace. At the left end of the frieze a ship lies in the Harbour of Tyre, while at the right of this portion are seen the gates of Jerusalem. Also shown is the passing of the gifts by the customs authorities at Tyre.

Hyran, King of Tyre, is next shown taking toll. The camel on which the queen may be supposed to have ridden, preceded by a Negro carrying a parrot and an Indian with peacock, is depicted next. They are followed by an ape seated on a horse and a gigantic Negro groom carrying on (sic) ivory tusk. The master of the apes, in trouble with one of his charges, is next to the queen and her attendants.

At the other end, members of the guard can be seen issuing from the gates of Jerusalem. To celebrate this great occasion, some of the ladies of the court are dancing and singing, ahead of the guards. Preceding this procession is the Rose of Sharon, borne by two Negroes with plumed head-dress and led by a body of kilted warriors.

Following the chariot from which the king has just descended to bestow his gift on the queen are the three wise men: the first a historian with his scroll; the second an astrologer with a divining rod and crystal sphere, the third a philosopher. Immediately behind the king, two guards stand at attention. Behind both monarchs is an owl in a circle, the symbol of knowledge. The lily of the field blooms nearby.”

You can see some close-ups of the medallions and friezes at my Flickr album of the building.

Related:
Farewell Henry Birks and Sons West End Dumplings (2023)