Collins & Autenrieth

Despite the prominence of the nineteenth-century Philadelphia architectural firm of Collins & Autenrieth, not much is known about the background of its two founding members. Edward Collins (1821–1902) was born in Köningsberg, Prussia, and studied at universities in Karlsruhe and Berlin, two important architectural centers in Germany. While there, he became friends with Charles M. Autenrieth (1828–1906), who was born in Wurtenburg, and who was also a student of architecture. According to the records of his family, Collins came to Philadelphia in 1849, and it is likely that he persuaded Autenrieth to come with him. This emigration may have been the result of the Revolution of 1848 which swept across Germany, France, and other European nations, and which resulted in the flight of many German engineers and architects to the United States in the years immediately following.

Upon arrival in Philadelphia, Autenrieth found a job in the architectural firm of Samuel Sloan. Collins, too, may have been in Sloan’s employ, perhaps as an illustrator, since his signature is on several works that are thought to have come from Sloan’s firm, such as the Masonic Temple of Philadelphia. Collins’ first recorded job, however, was with the firm of John McArthur Jr., and the first mention of his work came during his collaboration with McArthur on designs for the Grand House Hotel and the House of Refuge. In 1852 Collins left the firm to establish his own practice which was located at 92 Walnut Street. Two years later Autenrieth left Samuel Sloan to join Collins in a partnership, and their first collaborative effort was in an 1854 competition for the design of an opera house in Philadelphia, sponsored by the American Academy of Music. According to an announcement in Cummings’ Evening Bulletin, “A Premium of $400 will be awarded for such Design as may be adopted, and $200 for the next best, for an Opera House, to be erected at the southwest corner of Broad and Locust streets in the City of Philadelphia.” Though they lost this competition to the partnership of Napoleon Le Brun and Gustave Runge, over the course of the next fifty years Collins and Autenreith would be considered one of the top firms in Philadelphia, and would be asked to compete in numerous other competitions. Indeed, in 1873 they were one of the few American architects to submit their work for display at the Vienna Universal Exhibition. The two men continued to work together until Collins’ death in 1902. Afterwards, Autenrieth continued the practice with his son, Charles M. Autenrieth Jr., until his own death in 1906.

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