Article: Milwaukee antiques dealer finds treasure in City Hall's trash

Doug Quigley is almost sold out of sculptures from the Milwaukee City Hall bell tower.

In May 2006, he walked onto the City Hall renovation project and cut a deal with general contractor J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc. to buy terra cotta sculptures the city didn't want. Quigley, a historic preservationist and the owner of Clinton Street Antique Centre in Milwaukee, got about 20 balustrades and 32 of the square tiles that circled City Hall's bell tower.

Cullen sold the square tiles with fleur-de-lis patterns for $200 each, Quigley said, and they have been the best sellers. The first sold for $435, and the last tile he sold fetched $1,000.

"Yeah, other than our newbie, the Calatrava, (City Hall) was ...

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