unseen

[Taka]

Right after the advent of elevators, elevator operators tried to preserve the narrative authority of the store by summarizing each story as it passed by unseen: "ready-to-wear, toys, household goods"

About 'by unseen', what that 'by' refers to? 'Summarizing'? And I think 'unseen' here is an adjective, but what does it modify? The following items? If so, why does it separated by a colon?

[5jj]

They gave a brief summary of what was sold on each floor (storey/story) as that floor passed by during their ride up or down, Unless the elevator stopped and the doors opened, each floor would be unseen by the people in the elevator.

[Taka]

AH! 'Pass by'! That's right! I don't know what got into me. Thanks.

So the 'unseen' here is adverbial, or the reduced form of 'being unseen', right?

[5jj]

People seem to be very much into reduced forms' in this forum at the moment. There never was a 'being' in that sentence, and it is not possible to insert one. 'Unseen' is an adjective modifying the noun 'story'

[Taka]

'Unseen' is an adjective modifying the noun 'story'

I don't think it's really a modifier because this doesn't sound right.

it passed by which was unseen

but I know what you mean. It's like taking, say, 'young' in 'He died young' as a complement, as most grammar books say. That's another way of seeing it.

I think we share the same idea that the 'unseen' in question refers to 'it=each floor'.

Thanks anyway, fj.