"JOHNSON PARK, Cooper St. Between 2nd and Front Sts., is an attractively landscaped block in the shadow of tall buildings of the RCA-Victor plant. In the center stands the Cooper Branch Library (open 9-9 weekdays), a neoclassic building erected in 1919 from the plans of Karcher and Smith, Philadelphia architects. Behind a row of six Iconic columns is a mosaic frieze of opalescent glass, depicting America Receiving the Gifts of the Nations Composed of 100,000 pieces, the mosaic was executed in the D'Ascenzo Studios, Philadelphia." --- New Jersey, a Guide to Its Present and Past, 1939; page 230
Eldridge Johnson commissioned D'Ascenzo Studios of Philadelphia to design and produce the magnificent frieze at the Library and the beautiful stained glass window, the “Nipper" window, in the RCA-Victor building in Camden, New Jersey. It took two years to complete the work.
It was really difficult to get nice pictures, in part due to the early morning glare from the sun and also because to see it, one has to be at a peculiar angle.
"JOHNSON PARK, Cooper St. Between 2nd and Front Sts., is an attractively landscaped block in the shadow of tall buildings of the RCA-Victor plant. In the center stands the Cooper Branch Library (open 9-9 weekdays), a neoclassic building erected in 1919 from the plans of Karcher and Smith, Philadelphia architects. Behind a row of six Iconic columns is a mosaic frieze of opalescent glass, depicting America Receiving the Gifts of the Nations Composed of 100,000 pieces, the mosaic was executed in the D'Ascenzo Studios, Philadelphia." --- New Jersey, a Guide to Its Present and Past, 1939; page 230
Eldridge Johnson commissioned D'Ascenzo Studios of Philadelphia to design and produce the magnificent frieze at the Library and the beautiful stained glass window, the “Nipper" window, in the RCA-Victor building in Camden, New Jersey. It took two years to complete the work.
The frieze, "America Receiving the Gifts of Nations," is made of over 100,000 pieces of richly colored American opalescent glass, all carefully selected with reference to their particular place in the design.
The frieze extends clear across the front of the building for a distance of seventy feet. There are thirty-six figures; twenty-nine of these advance from right and left presenting gifts to "America," who sits enthroned in the center. On America's left stands her son, Opportunity, while on her right is her daughter, Equality. Kneeling at the feet of America are two native Americans.
Alongside of Opportunity stand the Cavaliers, with the figure of Christopher Columbus in the background. A little to the fore is a long procession of well-known figures from Western Civilization. First, in this group is Greece who typifies classical architecture by holding a model temple in her hand. Rome is next in line carrying the standard and fasces, symbols of authority and governmental administration. The moral law is represented by Moses bearing in his hands the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Arabia advances with an abacus, thus symbolizes higher mathematics. Raphael with his famous painting "The Sistine Madonna," and Michelangelo remind us of painting, sculpture, and architecture of the Italian Renaissance. In the right wing of the frieze three figures from the humanities appear: Shakespeare, Longfellow, and Palestrina.
Standing besides Equality, America's daughter, is William Penn with a group of Quakers. This group typifies religious freedom which is one of the foundations of our country. George Washington stands in the background.
On the right side of America is a procession from the Orient. The first gift is a ceramic bowl from Japan. Persia offers textiles, Babylonia, from the cradle of civilization, brings basic principles of construction. India is the last figure from the East.
England is represented by the figure of Tyndale bearing in his hands a copy of his translation of the Bible. From German comes the Gutenberg Printing Press.
Moliere, the French master of comedy, along with our own Walt Whitman, who is a representative of democratic thought, and Dante brings epic poetry to the left wing of the frieze.
The mosaic frieze which undoubtedly ranks as one of the notable art productions of recent years is the work of the D'Ascenzo Studios of Philadelphia whose guiding spirit is Nicola D'Ascenzo. Over two years were consumed in the making of these large group of life-size figures.
Source: "The Mosaic Frieze at Cooper Branch Library," Scrapbook of Camden City and Suburbs (mid-twentieth century). Camden County Historical Society [unpublished collections]. Call Number CQ1ASCR, p. 120.