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Completed in 1930 for master retailer Marshall Field, Chicago’s
Merchandise Mart is an exquisite example of Art Deco architecture.
The building’s design is celebrated here with the architectural detail found
over the elevator banks on its first floor. The stylized floral and palm leaf
pattern broken up by strong zigzagging lines is a reaction to the forced
austerity imposed by World War One and is also influenced by the
popularity of Egyptian culture at the time.
As we discover the history of the buildings and objects around us, we
cultivate an appreciation of their stories. Thus The Merchandise Mart
International Antiques Fair salutes the history of the building that is its
namesake by making it the focal point of its Spring 2011 campaign.
History of
The Merchandise Mart