27 September 2016 but photos 2024:
Lyric House was built as the home of Wertheim’s, Australia’s largest purveyor of pianos, most manufactured in their Richmond factory, the building that later became #Channel9. This image from the RVIA journal Sept 1931 (looks rather retouched), shows the base which includes great sculpted terracotta figures of medieval music makers, all still there. After Wertheims folded it was renamed Howey House (not sure when) and the terracotta name was changed, all in style. Designed by A&K Henderson, it’s all pretty much a copy of the 1896 Wertheim store in Berlin, which had no relation at all to our store.
17 February 2020
The fantastic old #shopfront at 250 Collins was built in 1931 for Wertheim’s Pianos, along with the building above, originally called Lyric House (later Howey House), designed by #AandKHenderson. From memory it’s actually not that old, since it was replaced decades ago then reconstructed c1990 when the shop became the lobby for the lifts up to the offices of the #SportsgirlCentre next door (and in fact I think it might just be a facade). I could be wrong, the #copperdoors look rather old and worn, though on the other hand they’ve got SC in the deco style glass. The lobby is very daggy #postmodern.
Storey of Melbourne 