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Mona Lisa: 1920
... on the "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Still there It got an Art Deco makeover at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/14/2016 - 3:09pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Studebaker Special Six touring car at Mona Lisa apartments." Fitted with yet another variation on the "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Still thereIt got an Art Deco makeover at some point (and lost the awning), but it hasn't yet fallen to redevelopment: (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Let It Slide: 1920
... the so-called "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Lost in Translation The brand Locomobile ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2016 - 11:26am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Locomobile touring sedan." An expensive open car fortified against the elements with yet another variation on the so-called "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Lost in TranslationThe brand Locomobile makes me think back to stories of how Chevrolet supposedly marketed the Nova to Mexican consumers without realizing that no va implies "doesn't go" in Spanish. I wonder what the same market would make of a "loco" mobile? ["Locomotive" in Spanish is "locomotora," so probably not much. - Dave] [And Snopes pretty well debunks the Chevrolet "no va" business. - tterrace] Very pretty car I have read that Locomobile prices ranged from $5,000 to $12000 in the 1920s, about as expensive as a new house at the time. The Locomobile is also reported to be the car that inspired Walter Chrysler to start his own car company in 1925. Not really lost in translationInteresting. As a Mexican I never heard or thought of the Nova name in any negative connotation. That "No Va" story sounds more like something invented by an American who pretends to know how the primitive Mexicans think, and trust me, his interpretation is completely wrong. No; the name had nothing, or very, very little to do with the car's failure in the Mexican market, and that "failure" is very relative, because the automotive market was very small and there was very little competition here at the time: we had only 3 other medium-sized cars, namely the Ford Maverick, the Chrysler / Dodge Aspen, and the local incarnation of the AMC Hornet. The Nova didn't sell well here not because of the name, but due to other factors, build quality, gas consumption and odd design among them, not to mention the recessive Mexican economy in the 1970s. Now, If we were going to find meanings to the name of things (which we normally do not), the word "Nova" has at least two other possibilities more relevant to us 1970s Mexicans than the "No Va" fairy tale: 1. Nova is a Latinization of Nuevo, which means New. So it could have been said that to us the Nova was the Chevrolet Nuevo (New). 2. Back then Nova was the brand name of the standard (80) octane gasoline sold in Mexico. As for a car called Locomobile, it would hardly raise an eyebrow here; for the most part we don't give much of a thought for the name of things. But in very few occasions some memorable names become so familiar that they become synonimous to the whole kind of product they represent; for example a paper tissue will be called a "Kleenex" independently of the actual brand of the product. But those are very rare instances, so I doubt we would call "locomobiles" to all the cars on the streets. Buster Keaton filmed The Navigator hereThis home, 2505 Divisadero, portrayed the home of Buster Keaton's girlfriend in The Navigator (1924). Buster's character lived in the home of A.D. Moore, 2500 Divisadero, when that mansion took up the entire east side of the street. You can read about this filming spot on my blog post https://silentlocations.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/keatons-heart-in-san-fr... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Club Coupe: 1920
... At the vine-covered California Club. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Yum, Yum. Famous for the Raceabout model we ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2017 - 10:12am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Mercer four-passenger coupe." At the vine-covered California Club. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Yum, Yum.Famous for the Raceabout model we rarely see the other Mercers. This car is so cool that I could eat it with a spoon. Please excuse the drool all over my keyboard. Knee to kneeIf the interior follows the "opera coupé" configuration, then it's driver and one passenger in front, and two in the rear on jump seats, facing each other rather than forward. A chauffeur-driven variant had a full (and often sumptuous) conventional rear seat, a less commodious front passenger seat that folded completely forward to facilitate access to the rear seat, and a driver's seat mounted further forward than in the opera coupé in order to maximize rear-seat leg room. The chauffeur of the latter had little cause for complaint, cramped driving position or not. At least he was out of the weather, unlike his colleagues piloting open-cockpit town cars. [The photo shows a full-width, forward-facing back seat. - Dave] 1750 Clay StreetMuch altered, but still recognizably the same building. They even kept the same awning. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
De Old Museum: 1918
... of Antiquities forming the backdrop. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Two Newborns The car and the museum were both ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/01/2017 - 10:05pm -

San Francisco circa 1918. "Haynes 'Fourdore' four-passenger roadster at Golden Gate Park," with the De Young Museum and Museum of Antiquities forming the backdrop. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Two NewbornsThe car and the museum were both new in 1918, the M. H. de Young Museum having opened just the year before. It was stripped of its ornate exterior in the late 1940s and finally replaced altogether with a new incarnation about ten years ago. The Egyptian structure was a leftover from the Mid-Winter Exposition of 1894. Damaged by the 1906 earthquake, it was patched up and finally demolished in 1923. Only the sphinxes that flanked its entryway remain. Fascinating inventorThe brilliant inventor of the Haynes was Elwood Haynes. In addition to automobiles, he also invented improvements for natural gas extraction and stainless steel. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Sodden Six: 1928
... Cavalcade of Cretaceous Conveyances. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bent rim In a car from that era, a bent rim ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/06/2016 - 3:59pm -

San Francisco, 1928. "Hudson Super Six Sedan at Golden Gate Park." Latest entrant in the Shorpy Cavalcade of Cretaceous Conveyances. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Bent rimIn a car from that era, a bent rim is much less serious than it is now. With our tubeless tires, a good seal with the rim is critical. But my first cars still had tubes, and that rim would not have been a problem. DingThat dented rear rim is gonna give them some trouble sooner than later. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Rim Shot: 1920
... in the Shorpy Catalogue of Callipygian Cabooses. Photo by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Pinto of its day Whoever buys this car ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2017 - 10:36am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Chalmers (rear detail)." Today's entry in the Shorpy Catalogue of Callipygian Cabooses. Photo by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Pinto of its dayWhoever buys this car better stay out of Oakland. Rear-endedI've been trying to remember where I heard callipygian before. Then it came to me: "Vickie Dugan" by the Limeliters! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Oakland Rider: 1920
... Parade of Prehistoric Phaetons. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Appereciated, always Shorpy's alliterative ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/19/2015 - 11:16am -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Oakland touring car at Golden Gate Park." Latest entrant in the Shorpy Parade of Prehistoric Phaetons. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Appereciated, alwaysShorpy's alliterative assemblage of antiquated automobiles. OaklandBetter keep that Oakland out of Oakland.... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Top This: 1929
... into the Depression in style. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Oh dear! How can such a nice car break so ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2015 - 7:21pm -

San Francisco, 1929. "Nash convertible coupe at Golden Gate Park." Heading into the Depression in style. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Oh dear!How can such a nice car break so easily, Henry? WheelsI love the pin-striping on the wheels, reminds me of a circus wagon. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
A Greater Gardner: 1921
... 5x7 glass negative by the Bay Area automotive impresario Christopher Helin. View full size. Alcatraz You can see Alcatraz Island and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2018 - 12:34am -

        The "New and Greater Gardner" numbered, among its 30 Quality Features for 1922, "curled hair filled cushions, aluminum moulding on body, windshield wiper, Willard threaded rubber battery, door-opening curtains, and clear-vision top covered with Chase Dreadnaught double-texture material." San Francisco circa 1921. "Gardner car at Spreckels Mansion." 5x7 glass negative by the Bay Area automotive impresario Christopher Helin. View full size. AlcatrazYou can see Alcatraz Island and Prison in the left background. Threaded BatteriesApparently, lead acid batteries in that day used wood as separators between the lead plates and Willard improved on that by using 'threaded rubber' separators. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Glossy Gardner: 1922
... that died with its sneakers on. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Distancing? When I first glanced at the photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/10/2020 - 8:25pm -

San Francisco, 1922. "Gardner touring car." Yet another Jazz Age marque that died with its sneakers on. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Distancing?When I first glanced at the photo I thought the driver was wearing a mask. Sign of the times, I guess. It might have beenSears, Roebuck & Company asked Gardner to develop a car to be sold by mail order. But, as a result of the stock market crash of 1929, that didn't happen. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Offroaders: 1919
... the ladies last glimpsed here . 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. It was all about the ride. Another Franklin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/18/2017 - 1:05pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Franklin touring car." Some of the ladies last glimpsed here. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. It was all about the ride.Another Franklin specialty. Dual upper and lower suspension leaf springs. The San Francisco ScuffAs noted before, the characteristic scuff of the right front tire from obeying the (then, maybe now) ordinance that you had to wedge your tire against the curb when parked on a hill. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Sweet Chariot: 1920
... a spiffy "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Detachable top? Looks like a detachable top ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/27/2015 - 2:24pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Chalmers touring car." Wearing a spiffy "California top." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Detachable top?Looks like a detachable top with an eisenglass window on each side. ["The California top ... can be stowed or removed quickly and has a permanent roof and glass windows" says this period article. -tterrace] LocationTaken on the 2100 block of Washington Street, north side; not sure of the exact address. The house has been somewhat altered, and is currently obscured by a tall hedge. [The house is the Phelan Mansion at 2150 Washington. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
The H Train: 1919
... the San Francisco Municipal Railway. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Foot of Van Ness Avenue It took a bit of time ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/01/2017 - 8:20pm -

1919. "Cadillac touring car at rail stop." H Line streetcars of the San Francisco Municipal Railway. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Foot of Van Ness AvenueIt took a bit of time to locate this view of the two H-cars. The location is a very different landscape today! The cars are stopped near the north end of Van Ness Avenue where it crosses Bay Street, with Angel Island across the bay dimly visible in the far distance. The trees and water tank at left were part of the tiny military post of Fort Mason. The open block to the left of the Cadillac had recently been occupied by the Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) of 1915. The concrete trolley wire poles with their ornate cast iron tops are also vestiges of the recently-closed PPIE. Many of these poles still survive along Van Ness Avenue today and serve as light posts. If you look closely you can see at least four in the contemporary view of Van Ness Avenue attached. Have You Seen A Hat Trick Lately?Well now you have. The third appearance of this man and his Cadillac with previous appearances in a "Couple of Cads" here and "Leftward Ho" over here. He definitely does not need the H Train to get around. From the front page of the Los Angeles Herald of 12 June 1919 comes the press release shown below regarding the Good Roads sticker seen on the windshield. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Streetcars)
Tee Party: 1919
... second look at the "driving" range. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Are Those Shingles Wood or Slate ? Could ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2017 - 2:01pm -

1919. "Paige touring car at San Francisco Golf Club." Our second look at the "driving" range. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Are Those Shingles Wood or Slate ?Could those perhaps be slate shingles, rather than wood ? I've seen slate roofs laid up like that. The ones I've seen were on late 19th or early 20th century buildings which were designed to look "Old World" Thatch style shinglingA few examples of this type of roofing do in fact still exist in the San Francisco in the Westwood Highlands district of San Francisco. Many English Cottages were built in the 1920's to attract a burgeoning middle class with affordable houses built from scratch. These houses feature cottage roofs, stained glass and other signs of refined decoration. It is one of the most beautiful residential neighborhoods, however obscure the name is compared to better known neighborhoods. It is however in the deep fog prone area, bordered by St. Francis Woods, and during certain heavy fog seasons it is very reminiscent of movies like the Big Sleep. Can anyone explainthe type of roofing on the building behind? [Shingles imitating English-cottage thatch. - Dave] Shingle ArtistryI have seen that pattern of wood roof shingle on cottages of the same era, in Hollywood California. Instead of being cut as rectangles, the wood shingles are cut with one ripple side. When the roofer lays them down, he creates the parallel waves in the way he overlaps the layers. I have never seen anybody place the ripples as close together as they are on this roof. Maybe these are smaller tiles. The ones in Hollywood were two or three times the distance apart of these rows. But they had a wonderful aesthetic missing from commercial roofs laid today. Alas, when these homes get re-roofed, nobody re-creates the original look. I saw them back in the 1970s. Doubt any of those roofs, which were 50 years or so old then, survive today. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Sports)
Modern Family: 1922
... it, and it's safe enough for the kids. 5x7 glassneg by Christopher Helin. View full size. Kid Safety Safe enough for the kids is a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2015 - 8:16pm -

San Francisco circa 1922. "Haynes touring car." Even your wife can drive it, and it's safe enough for the kids. 5x7 glassneg by Christopher Helin. View full size. Kid SafetySafe enough for the kids is a modern invention, probably from the 1970s. Kids were pretty rugged before that. Solid, If UnexcitingHaynes built a quality car, albeit hardly a scintillating one. The opera windows must be a palliative for the claustrophobia doubtless induced in the rear sea passengers when side curtains were erected. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Kids, San Francisco)
The Franklin's Franklin: 1928
... Franklin had run out of gas. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Rrrrrruuff!! Love that Victorian staple, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/22/2017 - 9:35am -

San Francisco, 1928. "Col. M. Franklin with Franklin Airman sedan." Despite such eponymous endorsements, by 1934 the air-cooled Franklin had run out of gas. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Rrrrrruuff!!Love that Victorian staple, the Cast Iron Dog. Stay! Good Boy. Free ParkingThe old joke "if you don't like the way I drive, keep off of the sidewalk" seems to have come true here. Except after he drove onto the sidewalk, he parked there too. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Dogs, San Francisco)
Sidewalk Star: 1924
... 5x7 inch glass negative by that automotive impresario Christopher Helin. View full size. Unfashionable Fashions I feel sorry for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2018 - 1:16pm -

San Francisco circa 1924. "Star Car Sedan at Star Motor Co., Van Ness Avenue." Demonstrating one way to get your Star on the Walk of Fame. 5x7 inch glass negative by that automotive impresario Christopher Helin. View full size. Unfashionable FashionsI feel sorry for the style of clothing those ladies felt the need to wear back then. I wonder how many of them thought those hats were actually stylish? Most images from the era look similar with lots of dark, presumably heavy fabric draped all over them too. Hope this is one fashion that never makes a comeback. The Star is the car.The Star was a "cheap" auto introduced by William Durant (General Motors) that was supposed to compete with Ford's Model T for the inexpensive-auto market. I knew a fellow who restored one and he said that the process was "one-step-forward and two-steps-back" difficult. His example; the clutch underneath the car had no housing and was open to water, mud and the elements. Deterioration of the clutch was certain and rapid. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Super Six Landau: 1928
... of Chic Chassis. 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Looking sharp Fine threads for a fine ride. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2019 - 10:04pm -

San Francisco, 1928. "Hudson Super Six Landau Sedan at Golden Gate Park." No. 1 with a bullet on the Shorpy Chart of Chic Chassis. 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Looking sharpFine threads for a fine ride. White dotson the tires remind me of tube patch for bicycle tubes. Anybody know what they are? I'd guess the same, but it would be really odd to put them on the outside of a tire where they could just rub off. [It's the Goodyear CORD insignia. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Kissel Me You Fool: 1922
... Shorpy Garage of Geriatric Jalopies. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. I'll sign up for that too! Any fan of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/21/2015 - 6:38pm -

San Francisco, 1922. "Kissel touring car." Latest tenant in the Shorpy Garage of Geriatric Jalopies. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. I'll sign up for that too!Any fan of thoroughbred motor cars would love to be Kisseled, I think. A Wisconsin manufacturer of high quality autos from 1907 until a combination of dwindling clientele and the machinations of corporate raiders led to its 1931 bankruptcy, Kissel was perhaps best known for the stylish and sporty 6-45 Speedster, popularly known as the "Gold Bug," but also produced a wide range of passenger cars, trucks, professional cars (hearses and ambulances), and -- after vehicle production ceased -- even outboard motors. Could that bea patent leather tire cover?? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Family Jalopy: 1919
... with a dapper "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Generous The massive shock absorbers attached ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/16/2015 - 7:35pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Haynes touring car." Accessorized with a dapper "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. GenerousThe massive shock absorbers attached to the front springs must be an after-market application as most Haynes photos do not have them. Extensive Internet searching has not yielded any info as to the manufacturer. Any chance the nameplates can be enlarged from the original negative? [They are Gruss air springs. - Dave] Dapper?Although the curtains may have been meant to convey a sense of privacy (blocking the sun & perhaps not allowing the unwashed masses to spy on their "betters"), they do come across as a tad funereal. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Kids, San Francisco)
Room Up Front: 1930
... be first to Street View this house? 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. To Street View I just knew that some day ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2015 - 6:03pm -

San Francisco circa 1930. "Hudson 8 sedan." Who'll be first to Street View this house? 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. To Street ViewI just knew that some day "street view" would be verbed. Just never expected Shorpy to be the first. That is all. (The Gallery, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Your Next Car: 1921
... car at Spreckels Mansion." Photographed by and with Christopher Helin himself. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Spreckels Sugar ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2018 - 12:42am -

San Francisco circa 1921. "Gardner car at Spreckels Mansion." Photographed by and with Christopher Helin himself. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Spreckels SugarLots of money in the family. Here, In San Diego, we have the Spreckels outdoor pipe organ (the largest in the world) in Balboa Park. They give free concerts on Sundays. It's a real beauty! MotoMeteredAs a radiator cap on our fine Gardner we see a popular accessory of the day, a "MotoMeter" temperature gauge, which employed a dip-type thermometer into the coolant. Alas, these meters were rather difficult to read whilst driving as they were too far away and the car's bumpy ride made focusing on it quite difficult. MotoMeters were made for most makes of cars of the day and were popular even up until the 1950's, where they were still used in the MG T-Series cars. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Thoroughly Modern: 1919
... of Brobdingnagian Barouches. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Killer B's In addition to being the pun ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2017 - 7:02am -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Velie Six touring car at Phelan mansion, Washington Street." Latest entry in the Shorpy Baedeker of Brobdingnagian Barouches. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Killer B'sIn addition to being the pun master, our host is no slouch when it comes to alliteration. I came, I saw, I consulted Google three times. If I had a time machine... I'd go back ca. 1918 and invent windshield wipers. [Too late! -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Fast Learners: 1927
... drivers." And festive balloons! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Hot to Trot Very similar, if not identical, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2015 - 8:23pm -

Circa 1927. "Chrysler roadster at San Francisco Public Library with racing drivers." And festive balloons! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Hot to TrotVery similar, if not identical, to the Chryslers entered in the 24-hour Grand Prix d'Endurance at Le Mans in 1928. Two of four finished, placing third and fourth behind a 4.5 liter Bentley (1) and a Stutz (2). If this is one of them, then it is in street clothes, for the race cars had abbreviated front fenders and were painted a primrose yellow. Not a bad showing for a marque barely four years old, and an American one at that! BeepBeepThe horn is the biggest part of the engine. Le Mans 1928 - and beyond.I wonder who are the two drivers? Chryslers placed 3rd and 4th in 1928, behind the winning Bentley and the runner-up Stutz DV32. Here's an excerpt from a story about the 1928 race, by Pete Hagenbuch in Allpar, the Chrysler historical website: "The Chrysler racing team consisted of four 1928 Series 72 roadsters, powered by L-head inline six cylinder engines with cast iron blocks and cylinder heads. Bore and stroke was 3.5” x 5” and each displaced 248.9 cubic inches (4.1 liters). Compression ratio was 6.1:1. The roadsters weighed in at 3005 pounds with a wheelbase of 118.75.” The Chryslers were all painted in a light cream color with black fenders and trim. Drivers were European, with circuit experience being a primary consideration; Car 7 had the brothers Ghica and Cantacuzino, Car 8 had Stoffel and Rossignol, and the other cars had Lepori, Chiron, and Benoist. The latter two were well-known Formula 1 drivers." In 1929 a Chrysler 75 driven by Stoffel and R.Benoist finished 6th, just ahead of the Chrysler 77 of De Vere and Mongin who placed 7th. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Peerless and Poised: 1920
... Prohibition. 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative by the prolific Christopher Helin. View full size. The Benefits of Wealth Those fortunate enough ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/17/2014 - 3:24pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Peerless touring car." Along with what could be a demonstration of either aerodynamics or sobriety at the start of Prohibition. 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative by the prolific Christopher Helin. View full size. The Benefits of WealthThose fortunate enough to own a Peerless cared not a whit what passing proles thought of their poses. DemonstrationShe is merely proving the old theory that your height is the same as your 'wing span'. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin)
Queen Cole: 1920
... A solid hit with this stylish miss. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Stylish Miss & Tony Curtis Had The Same ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/23/2016 - 3:38pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Cole Aero 8 roadster." A solid hit with this stylish miss. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Stylish Miss & Tony Curtis Had The Same Furrier They look like they could be sisters. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Mr. Right: 1920
... either "hello" or a right turn. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Fortified Better clues as to location in this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/21/2014 - 1:00pm -

San Francisco in 1920. "Oldsmobile touring car." Its dapper driver signaling either "hello" or a right turn. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. FortifiedBetter clues as to location in this view: the southwest corner of Bay Street and Van Ness Avenue looking north. The trees and flagpole in the background are inside San Francisco's diminutive Fort Mason on the north waterfront, while at extreme right a portion of the tall retaining wall separating the fort from Van Ness Avenue is visible. The empty blocks behind the Oldsmobile mark the site of the recently-demolished 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition fair grounds. Same view today reveals World War II-era military quarters inside Fort Mason. The elaborate street poles are survivors of the 1915 fair. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Shady Six: 1925
... Shortlist of Incognito Conveyances. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Vents What are those vents under the door? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/13/2017 - 11:59am -

San Francisco, 1925. "Overland Six sedan." Latest entry on the Shorpy Shortlist of Incognito Conveyances. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. VentsWhat are those vents under the door? IntensityIt takes a lot of concentration to sit still for the photo! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Cadillac Caliphs: 1932
... fezzes of these Masonic potentates. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Man of Many Achievements Don Lee was the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2015 - 1:12pm -

    Don Lee handing over the keys to a V-12 Cadillac touring car. San Francisco, 1932. "Cadillac agency, NE corner Van Ness & O'Farrell." The monumental exterior of Don Lee Cadillac. Note the "ISLAM" fezzes of these Masonic potentates. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Man of Many AchievementsDon Lee was the exclusive Cadillac distributor for the West Coast and had a store in LA as well, where he had employed Harley Earl (having bought his LA facility) as a custom coachwork designer prior to the latter's going to GM to found its Art and Color operation, the first styling department in a major US auto manufacturer. Lee was also a pioneer radio broadcaster, operating KFRC (studios high atop the building in the background) as well as KHJ (LA)and (eventually) at least ten other stations. In 1931, he began experimental TV broadcasting from LA as well. He succumbed to a heart attack two years after this photo was taken, still in his 50s but having compiled accomplishments worthy of a very busy nonagenarian. Islam TempleThese fortunate new Cadillac owners are affiliated with Islam Temple, San Francisco Landmark #195, Ancient Order Nobles of Mystic Shrine. A building commissioned by the Shriners and designed by architect Thomas Patterson Ross. It was used for meetings and ceremonies 1918-1970 and later functioned as a small theater. It appears the key recipient is a PAST potentate of the Islam Temple, given the text on his fez. Maybe they'll use the car in parades but now they lean toward '70s-style Jeeps and minibikes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Ready to Rumble: 1928
... you? (And who's driving this rig?) 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Ignored Hudson This must be the only ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2014 - 7:28pm -

"1928 Hudson." Somewhere in the Bay Area. Pass me the flask, will you? (And who's driving this rig?) 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Ignored HudsonThis must be the only picture of a car on Shorpy without comments. Could it be because of the dangerous and thoughtlessly designed rumble seat? Perhaps it is the driverless aspect that frightens so many as we approach this Halloween season. Whatever the reason, I will step forward and say what a fine looking car this Hudson is, so long as you keep the rumble seat closed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
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