Photo 1 Copyright Glenn Lee Downing
American Factors Building
Model by Albert S. Peary, Gift of Amfac, Inc. 1992
Constructed in 1902, this building - formerly located at Queen and Fort Streets in downtown
Honolulu, was demolished in 1970. American Factors was one of the big five sugar companies that dominated the Hawaiian economy during the territorial period.
Photo 2 Copyright Glen Lee Downing
American Factors Building
Model by Albert S. Peary, Gift of Amfac, Inc. 1992
Photo 3 Copyright Glen Downing
American Factors Building
Model by Albert S. Peary, Gift of Amfac, Inc. 1992
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This model (scale unknown by your blogger) was built by Albert S. Peary, and was a gift of Amfac, Inc. in 1992. Its execution is superb. Note how the automobiles and the figures help us to understand the size of the building and the time period being depicted. Also notice the local flora modeled. Without the flora, one could just imagine this building on a New England big city street corner. Just as with a model railroad, one must be always conscious of the fact that there can be a wide time difference between when a structure was built and the time period that it depicted. Too often modelers will depict a building as in poor condition (as the found it) while modeling the time period when the building was relatively new - a big mistake. I find all small scale dioramas found in museums to be interesting - this one is no different. But note that without a backdrop and valance, the builder is unable to control how his audience views his creation. Certainly reduced scale to achieve perspective is out of the question in such a diorama. Model railroaders have a choice they can control the view of their layout with backdrop, valance, fascia, and what Iain Rice terms "wings".
Constructed in 1902, this building - formerly located at Queen and Fort Streets in downtown
Honolulu, was demolished in 1970. American Factors was one of the big five sugar companies that dominated the Hawaiian economy during the territorial period. Readers can thank Glen Downing for taking these three photographs when he last visited Hawaii.
Revised December 20 2020
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