Tlach and Keil Copperworks Warehouse - 41 Hajós street

Source: MESZL

The Hajós street is one of the earliest streets crossing through inner Theresatown. It was already known by its name in the 1830s, but that became official in 1875. The southern section was separated in 1886 and got the name Vasvári.

The Czech architects, Vincenz Tlach and Vincenz Keil established their business partnership in 1809 in Troppau (now Opava). They were the first to manufacture rolled and galvanized iron sheets and they were also amongst the first people to use the technology for processing copper and zinc, too. They established branches in several countries, including Hungary. However, this company has nothing to do with 41 Hajós street. Then why is the lettering still on the building?

Finger and Son company in Budapest PhoneBook (December 1913)
Source: library.hungaricana.hu

Tlach passed away in 1837 then Keil followed him the next year. However, the company still lived on, since between 1838 and the construction of the Hajós street house 65 years had passed: the plans were approved on 12th June 1903. Back then the Monarchy was still alive and kicking. Gyula Finger and Róza Finger were the commissioners and the names of the architect-build master duo were on the facade: József Fischer architect and Izidor Scheer build master. In the address registry of 1900 a Gyula Finger salesman and a Róza  as rentier can be found, when they were still living on 17 Lipót Boulevard (now Szent István Boulevard).

 
Source: kep-ter.blog.hu

The house was constructed for Finger and Son, a company that was selling OSRAM electric lamps and other electronics, and they were also registered as hardware sellers. In the beginning of the 20th century, they took over the Budapest branch of Tlach and Keil. Thanks to the special function of the building, they had a large, wide gate made so the carriages could fit through, bringing their wares into the courtyard to the warehouse. For the sake of continuity and an advertisement with a nice ring to it, the Tlach and Keil lettering was put onto the building just like their own ("Finger és Fia" - Finger and Son). The fact that the latter was taken down is another story. Its traces were visible in the center above the entrance - until the latest renovation.

 
Finger and Son product catalogue - "fredál" alloy
Source: vatera.hu

On the asymmetric art nouveau facade, just like on another apartment house of the Finger siblings on 20 Bertalan Lajos street in the 11th District, we can find a sculpture of a group of children, otherwise known as a "relief". Originally, the apartments facing the street had five rooms on both floors, clearly made for the owner and their family, and also, as customary in those times with smaller houses like this, the back apartments were lived in by relatives and servants.

  
Source: MESZL

In the courtyard on the ground floor, the office, the head office, the shop and the storages could be accessed, while in the back were the stables and the carriage house. On the first floor facing Hajós street was the five-room apartment which had - as an unusual solution - a closed balcony: most likely the owner's residence. In the back there were two smaller apartments built. The second floor doesn't have a balcony, but its floor plan is basically the same. The license was signed on 16th April 1904 by the authorities.

 
Source: lathatatlan.ovas.hu, kep-ter.blog.hu

Inside by the gate, we can walk on the old wooden pavement into the courtyard, where the old workshop-warehouse can be found with its original doors. To the right of the gate starts an elegant staircase leading up to the apartments. It has solid parapets and is lined with artificial stone. It transforms into a staircase with two rails that are wrought-iron and bear flower motifs. This is made more magical by the windows, their etched glass panes decorated with art nouveau flowers much like on the rails. THe finely drawn flowers can enthrall passersby both from the outside and from the courtyard and the gallery.

  
Source: kep-ter.blog.hu, lathatatlan.ovas.hu

The Finger siblings bought copper scraps, as well, besides storing copper and brass in their warehouse. Between the two world wars, they became the number one aluminum traders of the capital city, then in the 1930s they were the distributors of the new hot aluminum alloy, the "fredal". In 1944, the house was appointed as a yellow-star house, a place where Jews were forced to live. Róza Finger asked for the beautiful first-floor, five-room apartment to be separated in two in 1945. After this, no archived plans can be found for the house for decades.

 
Source: kep-ter.blog.hu

As per the municipal decree of local site protection of 2013, the building is under the protection of the capital city. During the recent renovations of the facade, the lettering "Finger és Fia" (Finger and Son - ed.) returned to its original place, above the entrance.

Source: MESZL

Sources: mienkahaz.hu, lathatatlan.ovas.hu, tervlap.hu, kep-ter.blog.hu