PUCK, SoHo

by Kevin Walsh

The famed Puck Building takes up the entire block between Lafayette, Mulberry, the alley Jersey Street and East Houston. It was built as a printing plant between 1886 and 1893 by the publishers of the satirical magazine published between 1877 and 1918. It has recently been home to both the New York Press weekly and Spy monthly, though both left the building before going out of business (I write for New York Press’ online successor, SpliceToday). Some of the Puck Building was shaved off when Lafayette Street was extended south. 

The gilded Puck sculptures by Henry Baerer don’t resemble the imp of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream fame; that Puck resembled the goats or fauns of Roman myths. This Puck is the one designed for the magazine, resembling a Victorian bon vivant with a top hat, carrying a pen and a mirror as Puck, the magazine, sent up the chattering classes of its era the same way that Spy and to a much lesser degree New York Press did in theirs.

As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.

7/22/21

8 comments

christopher brady July 22, 2021 - 3:28 pm

What fools these mortals be

Reply
Bob July 23, 2021 - 8:52 am

In the 50s and 60s the Sunday color comics section in one of the NY papers, or perhaps the Bergen Record, had a “Puck – The Comic Weekly” logo on top of the first page, so perhaps it didn’t completely die in 1918.

Reply
Josh July 23, 2021 - 12:38 pm

A puck ahead of his time for virtual work with no pants? Just don’t move that ribbon.

Reply
W Hohauser July 25, 2021 - 2:02 pm

I too remember a “Puck” from the late 60’s so when I passed the building as a child I sort of had an association. But I couldn’t remember why I remembered it until looking it up just now. The Hearst newspapers published a Sunday Puck comics section until the 1970’s. I must have seen that somewhere since I don’t think there was any Hearst papers in New York City in the 1960’s.

Reply
Michael July 25, 2021 - 7:15 pm

? Now owned by Jared Kushner ?

Reply
John Shea July 26, 2021 - 7:35 pm

The Journal American, which merged with the Telegram and Tribune in 1966, was a Hearst paper.

Reply
Tal Barzilai July 29, 2021 - 12:07 am

For some reason I feel that if not for the Puck statue, this building wouldn’t be that notable, but that’s probably just me saying that.

Reply
Jack Byard January 9, 2022 - 12:30 pm

What are the Puck figures made from? I am including them in a book for children about sculptures and I try to answer all possible questions.

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.