27 Southampton Street WC2

27 Southampton Street dates from 1707  but its main interest is, unusually, the plaque over the front door put up in 1900 to commemorate the residency of the actor, impressario and Shakespeare idoliser David Garrick.for nearly 30 years.
The plaque is unusual on several counts. Firstly, its quality and cost (it is cast bronze). Secondly, unlike most plaques it is the work of a top-flight sculptor, Henry Fehr. And thirdly, it was paid for by the freeholder, the Duke of Bedford, who was not known for his generosity. He even got his personal architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll, to sketch out the design.
A bust of Garrick circled with a laurel wreath stands on a plinth with the inscription. On either side stand two Muses, helpfully labeled. Less helpfully for today's Londoners, the labels are in Greek, but one of the advantages of a scientific education is a working knowledge of the Greek alphabet so I was able after only a bit of head-scratching to identify them as Melpomene (left) and Thalia (right).
Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, holds her dagger in her right hand. She traditionally also carries a club but Fehr clearly thought that would be rather unladylike so she holds a slim, elegant mace with a crown hanging round it instead.
Thalia holds the mask of comedy and a shepherdess's crook. Both are sad and pensive

Hotel Russell, Russell Square WC1

The monstrous Hotel Russell was built in 1898 by the Russell estate's architect Charles Fitzroy Doll, who went in for Doulton's terracotta in a big, big way. The facade is covered with ornament from basement to the mass of gables on the eighth floor. It is too overpoweringly Victorian for my taste, but it has some interesting figures by two of my favourite sculptors, H.C. Fehr and W.J. Neatby.

Neatby contributed the Renaissance warriors on the gables, their greaves embossed with grotesque heads that look rather livelier than the men. They are done in typically spiky Neatby style, although he has clearly been held back from expressing his usual Art Nouveau tendencies. He also made the coats of arms of all nations that stud the front, presumably intended to make the tourists welcome. I will post Fehr's Queens and PMs tomorrow.