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Julius Shulman: 1910-2009
... Angeles. Architect: Pierre Koenig." Color transparency by Julius Shulman, who died Wednesday in California at age 98. View full size | "A ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:12pm -

"May 9, 1960. Case Study House #22. Stahl residence at 1635 Woods Drive, Los Angeles. Architect: Pierre Koenig." Color transparency by Julius Shulman, who died Wednesday in California at age 98. View full size | "A Shot in the Dark" Hitchcock houseWhat a fabulous picture. There is a sense of anticipation about it; it's as though the man is standing around waiting for a party to start. I wasn't around then, but this really speaks of swank '50s and '60s: broads with bouffants, guys in skinny ties, cigs, cocktails. This reminds me of the house James Mason owned in "North by Northwest." Remember? Cary Grant sneaks in to save Eva Marie Saint and there is a final showdown on the faces of Mount Rushmore. Deja VuThis picture is so familiar, but I can't place where I have seen it! Was it originally published in Life magazine? [No, although it's appeared in lots of other publications. - Dave] Stahl House ToursOne of the most powerful icons of Southern California living, the house is still occupied by its original owner. I just found these comments online, offered by his son, Mark Stahl: "The house was designed in mid 1956 by my father, C.H. Stahl. Pierre Koenig was hired to fine tune the house design and make it buildable in November 1957. The builder was Robert J. Brady, and the Engineer was William L. Porush. The house is pretty small at under 2200 square feet." The house is open on a limited basis for reservations-only tours (currently sold-out), and has its own website: www.stahlhouse.com Julius Shulman's LAJulius Shulman loved Los Angeles and did as much as anyone to shape the world's view of that city. But, according to his daughter, Judy McKee, he was just as passionate about his dislike of LA's over-commercialization and endless tract developments. Here's another of his powerful photos, "The Saltbox and the Castle, the Last Remaining Houses on Bunker Hill," taken in 1967, which clearly expresses that aspect of his creative work. The New FrontierShulman's black-and-white photo of the house (a seven-minute double exposure) is probably his best-known image. Click for details. As seen on TVThis house is also famous because it has been used as a location for countless TV commercials and print ads. The house must have paid for itself with all the work it has done in the media over the years. So CoolThese photos were just featured at show at the Blanton Museum here in Austin, "The Birth of Cool." Pierre KoenigBrought adventure to the concept of "outside the box"! To be daring and understand your craft is a high point indeed. Tricks of the tradeClever way of camouflaging the inevitable flash or photoflood reflection in that vast expanse of glass. No brag, just fact...I LOVED the 60's, I love this house and I love architecture. My daughter is a fully licensed, highly educated, bona fide Architect of whom I am VERY proud and I want her to see this today because it is a very memorable day in her life. Thank you Shorpy for all the soul captured in your photos and the very human touch of kind, intelligent, witty commenters. I appreciate you and your viewers. House not that greatTake the retro furniture out of the picture, and what have you got? A Master has passedMy partner and I live moved to Palm Springs in 2008 and have enjoyed seeing the actual homes and buildings that Julius had photographed out here since 1936. We were fortunate enough to catch Julius at a Modernist conference early this year. There was a documentary film (Visual Acoustics) dedicated to his expansive work and he spoke to the audience afterwards. He was a witty and engaging speaker even at 98; commenting on the current state of architecture and inviting all of us in the auditorum to visit him at his home in LA. ("Bring scotch when you come or a pretty lady. I'm in the phone book!") Indeed he is. He will be missed. A splash of yellowOf all the colors that couch could've been, I never would've guessed yellow. I love the famous black-and-white shot but I always (inexplicably) assumed the furniture was blue. It's really cheery with all the yellow and orange. I heard about Julius Shulman's passing on NPR today and wondered how Shorpy would memorialize him. This is perfect. Thanks, Dave. That Lounge ChairAppears to be on a ledge with no railing! With my fear of heights you couldn't give me that house! Que increibleQue increible, yo ni siquiera nacía aun, pero es mi año y no se porque me parece tan familiar, como si los hubiera conocido. ¿Es muy raro no? considerando que soy de Chile. Vivan los años 60 ... los mejores! Than increible, I not even were born even, but is my year and no because it seems me so familiar, as if it had known them. ¿It is very rare no? Considering that I am of Chile Live the years 60 ... The best! My new desktop pictureWhat a beautiful and striking photo! This is my first introduction to Julius Shulman - looks like I have some research ahead of me. As seen in moviesWasn't this also Jason Nesmith's house in "Galaxy Quest"? As seen in ...According to IMDB, the Stahl House was used in: Columbo: "Prescription: Murder" (1968) "Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998) "Where the Truth Lies" (2005) ImaginationThink Mad Men... Julius Shulman's house is for saleJulius Shulman’s house is up for sale. Designed by Raphael Soriano for him in 1947 and completed in 1950. Serious inquiries only call Sam Heller (the only guy that could truly call him "Uncle Julius") 661.510.8183 I didn't want to move a thing. (Art & Design, Julius Shulman, Los Angeles)
Hollywood Hills: 1960
... Drive. Architect: Pierre Koenig." Color transparency by Julius Shulman. More to come on this house, which has achieved a measure of fame in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:09am -

Los Angeles, 1960. "Case Study House No. 22. Stahl Residence, 1635 Woods Drive. Architect: Pierre Koenig." Color transparency by Julius Shulman. More to come on this house, which has achieved a measure of fame in the annals of modern architecture due a certain black-and-white photograph. View full size. The Loved OneI'm sure I'm not the only one who's thinking about that. GorgeousDoes this place still exist? Mullholland DriveIsn't this the house seen in the movie Mullholland Drive, supposedly owned by the movie director "Adam Kessler"? Last House on the LeftIt has been in several movies according to this article. Best House in a Leading RoleThis house was featured in Smog, Nurse Betty, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Galaxy Quest, and The Marrying Man to name a few. More here. Neutra HouseThe house in L.A. Confidential is the Lovell House by Richard Neutra. The Stahl House is still there. The real star here is Julius Shulman, whose photography helped popularize Modernist architecture. WheelsAnd I wish we could see more of that nifty car parked on the left. Mercury? [1957 Plymouth. - Dave] Stahl HouseThanks Dave. A closeup view of ShulmanA good personal salute to Julius Shulman: http://flickr.com/photos/25726169@N03/sets/72157607259679510/ Movie Shoot SiteThere's the dream of any homeowner - a house that pays for itself. Mad HouseI believe it was used in an episode of Mad Men this year. Adman Donald Draper walks away from a meeting while in L.A. and ends up with an assortment of jet-setters at a house that looks very much like this one. The story takes place in 1962. The Stahl HouseThe Stahl House is very much alive and well. I do not believe it is fair to say Julius Shulman is the only star here. This house would not be here today had it not been for two men. My father, C.H. "Buck" Stahl, who designed the original concept for the house, and Pierre Koenig, who was the architect with enough guts to take on the project. It took all three men to create this icon. For more pictures of the house you can go to the home's website at www.stahlhouse.com. You can also see some more current picture at the Facebook Group "The Stahl House" The house is still owned by the Stahl family. Mark Stahl [Very interesting, and thanks for writing. Oh, and will you adopt me? - Dave] Palm SpringsI can't be totally sure, I but I think the home used in "Mad Men" was this one. Designed by E. Stewart Williams, the Palms Springs home was once owned by Frank Sinatra, and was also used in an episode of "Six Feet Under" (Brenda's parents' house). Here's more on that house here. The Stahl HouseDave, sorry I can't adopt you, but I can let you know that the home will be available for tours in the coming weeks. The home is not open to visitors very often so this would a good opportunity for you to come take a look. All the info is posted on the Facebook page, and a reservation is required. (Art & Design, Julius Shulman, Los Angeles)
Play Pavilion: 1959
... Buff, Straub & Hensman." Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. I see the potential here for limitless, ... angular... Very nice if a bit dated. Warm Julius Shulman was one of the first architectural photographers to actually ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2019 - 9:14pm -

"Recreation Pavilion. Mirman Residence, Arcadia, California, 1959. Architects: Buff, Straub & Hensman." Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. I see the potential here for limitless, free-spirited fun. (Please do not move cushions more than one-quarter inch from designated positions on the Recreation Pavilion Fun Grid. The Herman Miller benches will not be moved more than 21 bricks away from decking. Tennis racquets allowed on pillows only if propped at an appropriately informal angle, 35 degrees to the horizontal. Thank you.) Lots of running room.I bet the Spencer kids loved coming over to play there. Pinch PongAll that room and they squeeze the ping pong table between a brick wall and the pavilion. Bet they lose a lot of balls over the wall. It's the most uncomfortable looking play area I've ever seen. Avert your eyes. Hide the children!The red candles -- not parallel. The one on the left has about a 1-degree tilt from the perpendicular. Call 911! Call 911! RelaxJust lean back and relax. It's easy: sit on the bricks and lean against a post. Really comfy! Had I been a guest I would have a headache and have to leave. Yeccch. Everything just soThis would be a great place to live if you had OCD. All the nice straight lines and right angles! The round cushions would have to go, though. Here's the StoryThis room was obviously designed by the illustrious Mike Brady. Look around and notice the bright orange and marigold cushions, the astroturf yard where the well mannered children (Brady cousins?) play table tennis, and just behind the lovely lady pouring non-alcoholic iced tea hides a free floating stairway leading to the main floor of the split level house. The banality of this room makes it look like something sinister designed by Rod Serling for the Twilight Zone's unwitting patrons. Actually, this could also be a play room for Opie, Wally & the Beaver, Will & Penny, and the children on Make Room For Daddy. None of them had toys and Opie's life seemed just this sterile and bland with Aunt Bea. Sorry, I slipped into the play room and got lost in the space. CantiLoveItI love the cantilever table. No shin busters under that. I wonder if it folds or slides in somehow - the way the slatted bench runs under it makes me think the table is not a permanent fixture. Ooo, dig that chicken on the table. Very 50s CaliforniaBack then Sunset Magazine was filled with page after page of design and decor like this. Asian influence.Very Asian sensibility. Lots of wood, open, angular... Very nice if a bit dated. WarmJulius Shulman was one of the first architectural photographers to actually allow people in his photos, humanizing houses designed by California architectural luminaries Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler and Pierre Koenig. Shulman's images of the Mirman Residence by Buff, Straub and Hensman in Arcadia, for example, show people in conversation in the house's dining or sitting room areas. Here, as in almost all of Shulman's photos, there is a secondary group of people (the children) in the background. Such a mise-en-scène guarantees that the viewer's eye does not settle on that single living-room scene only; it also demonstrates that the house is really lived in, that it is a place where many different activities can take place at the same time. -- Julius Shulman: Man Behind the Camera "Recreation"?If this is where they play and relax, I'm afraid to see what the rest of the house looks like. Bet there's not a comfortable surface in the entire place. Don't care what anyone saysI LOVE IT! There, I've said it. And I think that brick pattern is called basket-weave. Also, note to Bill Cary: Don't forget Sky King and Penny. They'd live here, too - along with Jeff and Mary from The Donna Reed Show - and everybody would be happy all the time. I am a 50s freakI love this area. Change out the blue accents for lime, dull the orange, and pump up the yellow. Replace the ping pongers with my easel and Playstation. Place gets dusty, hose it down. An ice-cube making machine and Shorpy/ TTerrance to entertain me with photograph commentary. I'm good. OMGLove. It. Bright colorsI think young people think of the 1950s as a bland and colorless time because they are use to seeing it in black & white photos, movies and TV shows but actually it was a time of lots of chrome and bold bright colors. I suspect this was a rebellion from the dull monotonous military greens and grays of the 1940s. I rather miss this now as we seem to be again stuck in a era of subdued earth tone colors and bland lookalike cars. Recreation Pavilion?Please. It's a backyard patio. On the bright side there's plenty of places to fall down drunk. I couldn't agree more!I am a part of the new generation just by birthright, I was born in 1986. I am also a mid century collector and have been for a long time. My house is a fifties hodge podge from Herman Miller clocks to an Eames lounge, fiberglass shell chairs, and my prized Franciscan Starburst collection ... ANYWAY I am disgusted with society, they are boring, bluetooth chatting zombies, who live in cheap boxes they call homes, and drive these boring boxes they call SUV's and Minivans. I just wish there was a colony of mid century modernists, gated away from the rest of the robots, all together to appreciate the art of Ray and Charles Eames, Saarinen, George Nelson, Antonia Campi, Isamu Noguchi, Verner Panton, Arne Jacobson ... Well as society gets worse I can at lock myself up in my house and appreciate everything I love ... Btw I drive a volvo station wagon ... an old black cherry colored one ... it's fabulous! Hey, that's not just a chicken...The rooster brings back wonderfully warm memories of our kitchen. Roosters were "in." We had rooster dishes, toaster and mixer covers, coffee cups. We even had a wrought iron rooster on the brick wall in the family room. Ah, bring back the 50s and 60s!! Sigh... Re: The Robots>> of the robots, all together to appreciate the art of >> Ray and Charles Eames, Saarinen, George Nelson, Antonia >> Campi, Isamu Noguchi, Verner Panton, Arne Jacobson ... >> Well as society gets worse I can at lock myself up in my >> house and appreciate everything I love Uhm ... ok. Talk about pretentious. You're just like the people you hate. LOVE your commentsYour comments about the anal aspect of this design made me laugh out loud. I also had to laugh because I grew up with square white metal stools like this, and with Avocado green Naugahyde (from genuine Naugas) cushions, and they were INSIDE the house, as, oddly, all our "family room" furniture was really white metal patio furniture. I still have those tables, somewhere but the Naugas have, sadly, gone home to roost. thank you SO much for all the wonderful photos you share. House RulesAnd, please! Remember, when stacking the round pillows, its RED, WHITE, YELLOW. Not Red, yellow, white. It's never red, yellow, white. Actually, I like clean open space, but I also like soft and comfy, which in this case must be happening in some other part of the house. Perhaps in the den. Remember dens? (Kodachromes, Art & Design, Julius Shulman, Kids)
California Modern: 1950
... table. Architect: Richard Spencer. Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. Is Uncle Miltie on tonight? Where is Hugh ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/05/2008 - 12:47pm -

1950. Cocktail hour at the Spencer residence in Santa Monica. Note the mirror-view television sunken into the table. Architect: Richard Spencer. Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. Is Uncle Miltie on tonight? Where is Hugh Hefner?This is reminiscent of the mood of the old TV Show "Hugh Hefner's Penthouse Party." It was all so "chic and stylishly sophisticated" and only the young and beautiful need apply. I do LOVE the streamlined clean look of it all but the guy standing by the fireplace appears to be wearing sandals with a suit, kind of a strange combo. And the powder blue chenille chair in the left foreground would have left lots of lint on black clothing. Quite a slick depiction of the trends of 1950, although most of it is timeless good design. Thanks for the flashback, I love your Shorpy time machine. Meaningful Look...... between Standing Man and Black Dress Woman. Who knows what else they have in common besides biblical footwear? The night is young... Time and placeSandals and a suit? Hey, this is California -- not only that, Santa Monica. As California goes, so goes the future, and it was true in 1950. Granted, I was only 4 then, and my family wasn't in any way immersed in this kind of lifestyle and fashion, but I grew up aware of it, so this scene is completely believable. About the only thing not cutting-edge that I can see are what appear to be 78-rpm record albums (they were literally albums) on the bottom two shelves. 1950 ArmaniWhen I saw this, I immediately thought of Armani Casa, the style is so similar. And the woman on the right in the black dress with the small pois pattern is pure Emporio. SandalsSandals on men are just wrong. Sandals with a suit are an abomination. This guy wuld probably be wearing flip flops to work today. Steak TartareIs that a big plate of raw hamburger there? [Probably not. - Dave] Name that tune.How about you all guess what suave, very cool and modern music that fits the scene might have been playing on the stereophonic hi-fi in 1950. I'm guessing something with Les Paul and Mary Ford. [There was no stereo hi-fi in 1950, but what the heck. Miles Davis. - Dave] Books!The thing that struck me immediately was the prominence of books in this otherwise very spare room. Note the tapered, built-in bookcases, the hard-bound volume carefully placed on the coffee table and the stack of books in the centre unit of sectional couch. Clearly, those who "dressed" this room could imagine the living room as a space where people would read, and they wanted to project the possibility. Today's living rooms -- and the "entertainment units" with which they are furnished -- are designed around electronics, with some allowance for a few magazines or decorative items. Bookcases, where you actually find them, tend to have oversize shelves for binders, photo albums and magazines, not octavo sized books. Soviet ChicI love the Soviet Chic concrete block wall. It reminds me of the university building where I currently work. Probably constructed in about the same era. Two observations: (1) without a ladder, how do you reach the books at the top of the 12-foot-shelf? (2) I love that the flask on the table matches both the drink on the table (which looks like Hawaiian Punch to me) and the pillows behind the bored blonde. [The "flask" is a table lighter. - Dave] Huaraches Going out on a limb here that those sandals are huaraches which were big in the 60's. I know because I had a Rat Fink surf themed LP, Surfink, in the 60's that mentioned huaraches. I suppose that qualifies me some. Modern and Cold...I like a lot of the modern designs from the 50's. However, this one looks too cold and industrial. This is one cocktail party that I am glad I didn't go to. Just look at how much fun they are having! Oh my! Swank padThe future was going to be so cool, and look what we did with it. Shag?Is that SHAG carpetting on the chair? And why is Mr. Spencer wearing Birkenstocks with his suit? Even the ladies shoes seems to be.... less than fashionable. House overall seems somewhat dated, but functional, but the furniture (except maybe the TV) needs to go. And the TV needs to be an LCD pop up with something like Microsoft Surface. Otherwise, this looks like a bad retro-istic look at yesterday's today. Looking like today!High ceilings, simple, sparse furnishings, even the fashions look contemporary. Usually there would be a grey brick fireplace and evidence of robin egg blue palette or chrome and blond furniture around for the fifties. This could be 2009 decor. Santa MonicaSo, tt, what was "this lifestyle" that was on the periphery of your awareness? Spooky ChicThe very chic woman on the right looks so contemporary it's almost spooky. Going DownI thought it was simply a blocky coffee table, until I saw the opening to the steps leading to the chic pleasure dungeon. The guy in the suit and the blonde are obviously planning an immediate descent. Playboy PadThe guy in the suit and sandals looks like a cross between Woody Harrelson and Hugh Hefner. Yeah, Baby . . . So Cool!This is probably the first Shorpy pic that truly makes me want to time travel and immerse myself completely into this scene. I love the coolness and sleekness and the fact that 58 years later, this looks like something that I could probably mimic today without too much fuss. Well, except the smoking. About Santa MonicaI phrased that poorly; my intention was to zero in on Southern California in general, not Santa Monica specifically. What I was driving at was that Southern California had long been a place where the new, the novel, the offbeat was a familiar part of the culture; also that there was a particular style of upscale living - influenced by, among other things, the climate, the movie industry and that tolerance for the idiosyncratic and unusual. A scene like this, in a ritzy, high-concept-design postwar modern living/entertaining room, with a guy in open-shirt designer garb in sandals, well, this is so totally Southern California that I can't stand it. And it's 1950. We're witnessing the dawn of casual chic. Hi-De-FiThe hi-fi system is highly unusual. They were not commonly built into coffee tables! They were commonly custom built, however. The components often didn't come with cabinets. I assume that the TV mirror is so thick because it has a layer of that zebra-grain plywood on it. I also assume that the preamp sticking out near Black Dress's knees tucks in when not in use. There would also be a record changer that slid out when the records needed changing. As someone noted, the records are those old-fashioned 78s. The 33 rpm LP record was just coming into vogue at that time, being introduced c. 1948. The draperiesThe draperies--I assume that is what they are--are amazing. But I really, really want that lamp on the right. [Those are probably boards set at an angle. Your classic mid-century room divider or window baffle. - Dave] True date of this photoThe unbroken horizontal top of the bodice on the sleeveless and strapless gowns gives me pause about the date 1950. I've found only one photo of 1950, "Carmen's Armpit" by Norman Parkinson, that shows a model in such a gown, but the top of that bodice has a break in the overfold to suggest cleavage. By 1952 such gowns as appear in this photo were worn; by 1954-1955 they were common. The short hairstyle on the blonde belongs to 1951-1952, or to 1955, especially if she has a flip curl in front. This image could be as late as 1955. Perhaps a source for the unusual TV setup will help pin down the exact year. [This photograph was taken in 1950. - Dave] More on the SpencersI found the Spencers' wedding announcement (in the January 28, 1949 Long Beach Independent). Based on the accompanying photo I'd bet that they are the two standing by the fireplace. Most remarkable was her wedding dress - "an apple green dressmaker suit and orchids." He was described as an industrial engineer, originally from Denver, who studied abroad. She was the former Josephine Caruso, whose parents had a Long Beach address and who graduated from Polytechnic High. "They will make their home in Santa Monica Canyon." Neal Cassady by the wallWith Kerouac chatting up the local hipsters, while traveling "On the Road." HotDo you suppose the fire is actually burning that wood? If so, Mr. Sandals wouldn't be able to keep his hand on the fireplace screen very long. That is unless he is so mesmerized that he doesn't notice. [Some people are just too cool to get burned. - Dave] As seen on AMC's Mad MenThe woman on the right sure looks like Betty Draper. Of course this would have been before she met her future hubby, Don. Time TravelerI can't believe that woman in the black outfit is from 58 years ago. I am intensely curious as to how she aged in the following decades... How did she look in 1965? 1974? 1995? The writer Robert Benchley once had to console a man who was in love with a woman who'd been dead for a hundred years. I feel myself falling in love with this woman, and wish I had a time machine. The lobbyistsThis room looks more like an upscale lobby or waiting room than a room in somebody's home. I'm guessing the little Spencers didn't play in this room. I think one of the biggest reasons the woman in black looks so contemporary is her millennial borderline-underweight figure, in a time when most of the starlets were more pneumatic. [You'll note from the caption that the owner of the house is the architect who designed it. - Dave] That mirror TV cabinetLet's see if we can figure out how that mirror cabinet for the TV worked... We need two mirrors to keep from reversing the image. Could the TV screen be facing the photographer, with one mirror out of sight reflecting the image up to the mirror we can see? No, then the viewer would see a sideways image, unless the TV is on its side. Probably the TV needed to stay upright? Or could it be on its side, or upside down? [Mirror view televisions, whose sales peak was sometime around 1948, were used for the larger screen sizes (17 inches and up) back when the bigger picture tubes were too long to fit front-to-back in a standard cabinet. Generally the tube was wired to display a reverse image. The standard design was an upright cabinet with mirrored lid. Some used a prism or extra mirrors. They were superseded by direct-view sets once picture tubes got short enough to fit front-to-back in a 24-inch-deep enclosure. Custom installations continued to make use of the principle. - Dave] Time is relative...Our family was totally working class, but, I remember the homes (and offices) of more "sophisticated" people looking much like this when I was a kid. Ours was a two-university town. This looks like the home of a prof or department head, and it resembles a lot of the university architecture being built at the time, the time being the early 1960s for me. It took a decade or more for California Chic to percolate down (and up) to the likes of us in Southern Ontario. This room is ugly and the people look strange.Why does the woman in black appear to have been decapitated and then had her head put back on the neck? What is wrong with this picture? There certainly is a lot wrong with the room. It's about as homey as a public toilet. Another worldWow. I can't even imagine how wealthy one would have to be to live like this in 1950. When I first saw the picture I assumed these people were all movie stars. My father was born in 1947, and his working class upbringing in Northern England, in an unheated home lacking an indoor bathroom, would have been almost literally on another planet compared to this. Astonishing. Kind of Cold In Here...I agree with all those who find this room cold and impersonal, but I suppose it would be a good place to hang out and smoke a couple packs of butts, like these people are doing. Girl in the black dress is exceptional by the standards of any era. For those who like this room I suggest a visit to Aqueduct Racecourse. That was built in 1961, but style hadn't changed all that much, and the little foyer below the grandstand escalator is still furnished something like this. A real time warp. What goes around comes around...I'm from New Zealand, and this style of interior is becoming extremely popular again. I think it's wonderful, nothing like a public toilet. (Art & Design, Julius Shulman)
Wonderland Park: 1958
... No. 21." Architect: Pierre Koenig. Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. These two look pretty sophisticated and worldly. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:04am -

"9038 Wonderland Park Avenue, Los Angeles, 1958. Case Study House No. 21." Architect: Pierre Koenig. Color transparency by Julius Shulman. View full size. These two look pretty sophisticated and worldly. Wonder what they're saying? Progressive"Really, Pierre, if I hear 'Blue Rondo a la Turk' again I will just SCREAM" Dearest Darling"Honey, could you bring me a beer, please?" (Says the woman.) That would work for a nice gender-reversal commentary. In actuality, it's probably close to "Goodness, I wish he'd hurry up with the stupid pictures already!" I'm enjoying these interior shots of 1950s homes. Thanks. He and SheShe: You call that thing a stereo? Pfft. He: There is no fi higher than my hi-fi. I defy you to find a fi higher than mine. She: Hah. I've seen tweeters twice the size of your so-called woofer. He: It's not the SIZE of the woofer, it's the excursion of the cone! She: I've heard this song before. It's a sad one. He: Can I get you a drink? She: Now you're talking. PoseursI don't mean that in a bad way, but there's a quality about this photo that feels stiff and as posed. By comparison, the photo of the Spencer residence in Santa Monica -- while it may be just as posed -- has a palpable, almost erotic (at least to me) tension about it. This is practically a sales brochure. Still ThereAnd still cooler than the other side of the pillow. View Larger Map While you're up"While you're up can you get me a Grant's?" This photo is a good match for those used in the ad campaign for Grant's Scotch way back when. Grant's is still on the shelves in liquor stores, along with Passport and Vat 69. Time Out"Chet or Dave, dear?" [I was always kind of partial to Huntley. - Dave] The Architect HimselfThat's Pierre at the stereo. http://leblog.exuberance.com/2005/06/meeting_mr_pier.html P.S. Dave, when do we get to see the ne plus ultra of the case study houses, Number 22? [You'll have to wait till 1960. - Dave] CorrugatedNaked I-beams, metal roofing and an exposed pipe. It looks more like a warehouse at the top of the room than a luxury home by modern standards. [The Case Study houses were intended as examples of affordable contemporary design, not luxury living. - Dave] Fab, Pre-From the outside it's not terribly impressive, is it. Kind of a Miesian mobile home. $3.1MIt may have been affordable when it was built in 1958, but according to the LA Times it sold for $3.1 million in 2006. TranquilGiven the era and the locale, and the rather languid look in her eyes, I'd say it's more like, "Honey, could you grab me a Miltown?" LA County AppraisalSquare Footage: 1,280 Year Built: 1958 Bedrooms & Bathrooms: 2 / 2 2008 Tax Roll Values Land: $271,000 Improvements: $406,000 Indicated Sale Price: $3,186,031 SchnoggeredShe looks quite drunk to me. The red nose and tired, glassy eyes all add up to too many Singapore Slings or Gimlets. Pierre's thinking it's about time to put another notch on his French curve. FrecklesAnd she's a real redhead. Now I'm interested. Unfortunately, she'd be about 75 today. The RedheadShe may be 75-78 but have you seen Jill St. John lately? But all is not lost for our pretty Wonderland Park subject. She may no longer qualify as a cougar; perhaps a swamp lynx? Wonderland LadyShe is rather attractive, despite those wicked long fingers. Other Worlds, Other Sounds"You beast. You know I'm helpless when I hear Esquivel!" ParkedI'm glad to see that the "experimental garage" finally became reality. Hi-FiWe had a hi-fi like that in the 1960s. The only problem with it was that Grandpa, who was rather dotty, would mistake it for the sink sometimes, when clearing the table, and scrape food scraps onto the knobs and dials and reel-to-reel tape unit. Return to SenderHave you ever thought of randomly mailing a copy of this photo to the current owners? It would be fun to see if you got a response from whoever lives at this address now. I know if someone randomly mailed me a historic photo of my house I'd be stoked. [Something tells me they know about it. - Dave] What he said"Be Sociable, Have a Pepsi!" Of course, if it's raining, they can't hear each other over the racket on the tin roof. Being thereI don't think I'd like to live there, but I'd give anything to be in the photo. More Brubeck, pleaseNone of that Maynard Ferguson. More Brubeck, please. Sold in 2006I found this reference to Case Study #21 going under the hammer in 2006. http://la.curbed.com/archives/2006/10/pierre_koenig_h.php Judging by the floorplan the stereo is along the east wall with the front door behind Koenig. The house sold for a little over $3 million. [$3,186,031, as pointed out below. - Dave] Not tonite dearNot tonight dear. I have a headache. I said I have a headache. Thank you dear. This does look a bit like a console stereo ad but its delicious nonetheless. Alternate conversation: While you're over there dear, will you center that GD bird! You keep setting it back. I want it forward. Thank you dear. The ConversationHim: "I thought you said you quit smoking...? Did you really think I wouldn't find your ashtray in here?" Her: (to self) "Crap! I knew I should have hidden it in the oven." Branjelina, 1958Inspiration for the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie photoshoot? [Amazing! Although as with a lot of attempts at "retro" styling, the actual midcentury photo (or movie) looks more modern than the re-creation. - Dave] (Art & Design, Julius Shulman, Los Angeles)
The New Frontier: 1960
... A landmark image in the history of modern architecture: Julius Shulman's nighttime shot of Ann Lightbody and Cynthia Murfee in Case Study ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:11am -

May 9, 1960. A landmark image in the history of modern architecture: Julius Shulman's nighttime shot of Ann Lightbody and Cynthia Murfee in Case Study House No. 22, the Stahl residence in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking Sunset Boulevard. Architect: Pierre Koenig. The photo, taken with a Swiss-made Sinar 4x5 view camera, is a double exposure: Seven minutes for the background, then a flash shot for the interior, the house lights having been replaced with flashbulbs. There's a fascinating account of the image at Taschen, where you can order a book on the Case Study houses. View full size | L.A. Mag article. Color?I've seen this photo in color, too -- is it possible to post that version as well? Thanks so much for introducing me to the work of Julius Shulman -- I'm really enjoying it! [There is no color version of this photo with the girls. - Dave] Case Study HousesI'd never seen this picture or heard about these houses until you made a reference a day or two ago to the famed picture of this house. I had to Google it, but it's nice to see it here and be able to zoom in on it. What an amazing picture. Thanks for including the info on how he took it--I don't know much about photography, and never would have guessed that's how he achieved the shot. It's pretty amazing it worked on the first try. (At least, no one mentions subsequent tries in the linked article!) I think I was there for this!There, just behind the potted plant and out of camera range in my smoking jacket with my pipe...I wish! I really love the early 60s stuff you have on here so much! Heck, I love it ALL ... keep up the good work, Dave, as it's now official -- I'd never make it through the day without my Shorpy fix! Flash funI love stories like this one. Sometimes all it takes is a photographer looking outside of the usual photo setup to see something new. I've been a commercial photographer for almost 30 years and I've always loved architectural projects (www.morrisonphotographics.com). This house must have been a dream AND a nightmare to shoot. The view really makes it work but lighting through all that glass is a study in madness! One thing we used to LOVE to do was take those big, screw-in flashbulbs that they mentioned in the story and screw them into fixtures of unsuspecting friends. Bear in mind, these bulbs are as big as a 100w bulb and when they go off, it's like a controlled explosion. Childish? Sure. Fun? You bet!! GlassI thought the four by six foot windows in my guest house were big, but these are huge. You just don't see windows that big these days. [Certainly not in my guest house. - Dave] Ahhhh, the viewArchitecturally very simple--almost minimalist because obviously, the view is everything. What a panorama!! LovelyMake me a martini while I put on some Burt Kaempfert. Absolutely I am there. Well in my dreams, anyway. Practical questionHate acknowledge the housekeeper part of me, but how did they ever wash the windows on the outside? No place to put a ladder, and the roof overhang is too wide to come down from above. PrecariousWell it's a stunning house with a spectacular view but I don't think I would feel safe perched on the edge of a cliff in earthquake-prone LA. The DoorsI just love these series of Modern photos you've been hosting. Absolutely brilliant. Those "windows" aren't I don't think. They're huge two panel sliding doors it looks to me. One door is closest to the camera and the other is behind the woman on the chair and it's open. The ground seems to be level with the door right there. Scary, but what a view! It's too bad such a house could never be anywhere where winter reared its ugly head. The design and the construction just couldn't take it. Philip Johnson's Glass Housefor Craig F: There IS such a house in cold-weather CT... Philip Johnson's famous "Glass house"... http://philipjohnsonglasshouse.org/ ... which predates this Koenig house by about 10 years. I don't know how much time he spent in it during the winter but Johnson did live in his glass house for a time. Videos of the Stahl houseThere are several videos of the Stahl house on youtube. (I used Case Study 22 as a search term.) Several of the windows around the pool are indeed sliding doors. There's now a ledge along the overhang portion, so the glass can be washed... but only by someone who is not afraid of heights. I don't know if the ledge was part of the original design. The Taschen article (which I cannot currently access) talks about how parts of the project were unfinished at the time of the photo shoot. Case study: lightingThe major part of the drama of this shot is the impression it gives of the house being suspended considerably out past the edge of a precipice of coronary-inducing height. Other photos from different angles, both then and now, and of course Google and Live Search aerial and bird's-eye views show that this really isn't the case; it's only a rather gentle slope that starts not all that far below the supporting member. Note: this is not a criticism, quite the contrary. ShagvilleOh My Goodness! This house looks like the party pad for Shag and Rian Hughes! It's like seeing their artwork come alive. I will be going to Taschen to learn the history of these Case Study Houses. How wonderful. (Art & Design, Julius Shulman, Los Angeles)
We're the Nuts: 1970s
... This is a beautiful photo - reminds me of the work of Julius Shulman. Frank Lloyd Wright: not The attendant’s shelter, ... 
 
Posted by rizzman1953 - 04/28/2012 - 10:43pm -

It was a warm late September night on Route 1 near Saugus, Mass., sometime around 1977. Smokes were 57 cents and gas was 56. Taken for a photography class with a 4x5 view camera. View full size. It's the irregularityThat patch of water/spilled brewsky in the foreground: Remove the effect of its wandering, irregular shape and the photo drops to being just a very good photo. (Cover it and you'll see the difference.) With it and the depth it creates, this image jumps to the Best Picture category. Great job, Rizzo, if I may call you that. I'll take either Mopar (thank you, Jimmy Longshanks). Caught in timeThis captures the moment, the period and the light perfectly. I remember it like yesterday, OK the day before yesterday.1977 I was driving a Fiat 1283P. We were appalled that gas was so expensive. Gas is supposed to be 32 cents a gallon. Inflation was about to spike. I remember getting significant pay increases about 4 times a year, but not getting ahead. Both of my sisters lived in this area of Mass at that time, I remember driving there frequently. This brings back so many memories. Another Fantastic PhotoThis is an award winner for sure. Nuff SaidI love the lines and composition in this photograph. Good work. I may have to have this printed. .57/gallon???!!!Marty, fire up the DeLorean, we are going for a ride! This looks like Jim and Pete should be pulling in to use the phone: "One Adam 12, calling in!" Just Up The RoadI'm going up the road for a Ginsburger at Adventure Car Hop. The Adventure Car Hop jingle: "Oh Adventure Car Hop is the place to go for food that's always right- Adventure Food is always just so, you'll relish every bite- Out on Route 1 in Saugus, come dressed just as you are- Adventure where the service is tops and you never get out of your car." 57 Cents?That wandering flow in the foreground was a premonition! I hope BP saved some of the 56.9 cents to pay for future 'events'. Old MemoriesIf I recall correctly, Adventure car Hop ('WooWoo Gisberg: WMEX DJ) was just up the road. Across the road was a Carvel stand with a miniature golf course replete with large fiberglass creatures. It's a PlymouthDon Struke, the car on the left is a '70 or '71 Barracuda. On the right, a '63 Valiant. I'll take either one, too. BP StationWith a little oil spill in front. Great photo, the lighting and composition are fantastic. Was that a High School or College photography course? Either way I'd bet it was well received. 63 Valiant? Nay!more like a 63-66 Dodge Dart. Mix them up!Back in my Chowderhead period (a New Englander for twenty years) River Queen was my favorite brand of locally produced mixed nuts. Very fresh tasting, with great salt. By far, their best product was Teddie's Peanut Butter - a wonderful natural product that had to be stirred daily and tasted of peanut and salt. Both are wonderful brands and wishing they were available out here in Cali. UnclutteredWhat a lovely, evocative shot. What struck me was the complete lack of junky advertisements taped all over the attendant's little glass-walled building. Try finding a gas station/convenience store with clean, uncluttered windows today. Oh, and SJBill - go to teddie.com. You can order peanut butter online. You'll have to travel back to the site of this photo to purchase River Queen nuts, though. SpookyI love this picture, it's quite nostalgic for me because I remember this era well, I graduated High School in 77. The long haired kid in the Cuda looks like every guy I went to high school with, his car is typical of what we drove back then, Mag wheels and lots of primer paint. I wondered if it would look better or worse if there wasn't any background clutter so I Photoshopped out the sign and everything in the background. While I like it better with the sign I think this is a little more spooky looking. Any chance the OP could identify the exact location for us on Google Maps? Dinoco Was Owned by BP?This reminds me of the Dinoco gas station in "Toy Story." What a terrific composition, I just love this photo! There's so much going on: Mopar metal; mixed nuts; 60's-style angular architecture; and 56-cent gas. I think I'm going to cry! No Self Serve?These were the days when you never got out of your car at the gas station. Leaning into the driver's side window, the station attendant is taking an order something like "Five bucks' worth of regular, please." If he squeegees the windshield and offers to check the oil, it may be worth a dime or a quarter tip! "Main St. Saugus, 2nd Exit"I just drove past where this must have been last night. Based on the exit signs in this photo, I put it on the southbound side of Route 1, approaching the exits for Main St. in Wakefield and Saugus, past the landmark Hilltop Steakhouse. According to Google Street View, there's a Mobil station in roughly the same location today. This is a beautiful photo - reminds me of the work of Julius Shulman. Frank Lloyd Wright: not The attendant’s shelter, notwithstanding someones best efforts, has all the design elegance of a Chrysler Airflow. Note the Mopar muscle stopping at the high octane stuff. The driver is probably asking when prices went up. The building in the background most likely housed the air compressor for the air hose (free, then) hanging on the exterior wall, and assorted mops, buckets, brooms etc. And of course there’s the ever present pay phone that was as natural to any retail business as a cash register. Looks like gas and cigarettes were it for this place. A very dramatic photograph with a real film noir effect. Self serve on the horizonIn September of '77 I'd been out of high school one year and was working at the SOHIO station at the corner of Main & Washington Blvd. in Belpre, Ohio and going to college full time, too. That summer, Standard Oil had decided to convert the island of pumps on the east side of the station to self serve. When a customer pulled up to the pump, we had to go out and unlock the pump with a key that we carried on us. Self serve was confusing to many people for a while. I remember self serve regular was 55.9 at the time. A great time in my life. Thanks for reminding me of it. A thousand times, yes...This is an unbelievably wonderful photo. No matter how anti-BP, anti-fossil fuel, anti-prevalence of the internal combustion engine, or even how nuts one might be ABOUT nuts, great photography shines through. Desktop BackgroundYet another immediately placed Shorpy background on my monitor. Thank you once again. [And thanks to user rizzman1953 for submitting it! - tterrace] I remember this place wellWe used to drive past this spot every Friday and Sunday, Friday going north to Beverly Farms and Sunday, going south back to Boston. The heart shaped sign in the back ground was a wedding shop with the most spectacularly tacky dresses. I always wanted one of the hot pink, ruffled layered ones. There was an IHOP right on the other side of the bridge, that you can't quite see. A More Innocent Time.Sadly, in addition to its beauty, this picture is real comment on out time. No bulletproof glass, no door-lock, no pass-through trough, no security cameras, no panic button. No "Cashier Does Not Have Access to Safe" sign. I'll bet they didn't even have a floor safe! And the attendant even leaves the safety of his fortress. My, how times have changed in just thirty-some years. The good old days?A beautifully composed photograph! All of your works posted here are breathtaking, Rizzman. And, thank you for this site, Dave. A couple of points: I don't think the 'cuda is gassing up; too far from the pump. More like- gimme a pack of Marlboro reds, and did you know there's a guy over there taking your picture? It is cool to see such an unadorned kiosk, but this was a time when we didn't feel it necessary to be constantly shoving snack food and soda (or should I say tonic?) into our faces. Cupholders? Yeah, a little dimple on the back of the glovebox door. For when you were parked, not barreling down the highway at 65 with 44 ozs. of HFCS blocking your vision. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Southern California Living, 1967
Earlier in the decade, Julius Shulman showed us life in the Hollywood Hills . Here's how real people lived ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/22/2011 - 10:49pm -

Earlier in the decade, Julius Shulman showed us life in the Hollywood Hills. Here's how real people lived 32 miles away in Diamond Bar in 1967. Step 1: haul TV set out to the patio. Step 2: kids follow automatically. My nephews, niece and brother-in-law in a section of a 2-1/4 square Kodacolor negative shot by my sister. View full size. HockneyishnessI wanted to comment on stanton_square's perspicacious observation about the Hockney-like aspect of this shot. I'm sure it wasn't on my sister's mind when she took it, and as I worked with the scan I wasn't specifically thinking of him. But, as I worked with the cropping and composition and the color and density adjustments, I definitely found something of that look emerging, and I decided to stay with it through the final tweaking. DadcutDid every dad in the '60s have that haircut? Mine did. And I had one to match. Tom HattenThe guy in the sailor hat and white T shirt was Tom Hatten. He hosted a kiddie show featuring Popeye cartoons. He would have a guest child on his show every day who would draw on a board, what Tom called a "squiggle." He would then incorporate the squiggle into a drawing. My grade school classmate Nancy Despie was a guest on his show. Tom Hatton still works in local theater here in Los Angeles. Portable TVThe first "Big Screen Portable Color TV" came out about the time this picture was taken. The first sets we sold were 19-inch Sylvanias looking very much like the one in this picture. It was covered in a beigey fabric and was priced around $400. It must have weighed between 50 and 60 pounds. The "portable" tag was a misnomer -- few people (the Governor of California comes to mind) could lift it by the handle. Re: DadcutThat particular hairstyle required Butchwax, or at least mine required a lot of Butchwax. I can still smell it to this day. Reading about his next project.I see that dad is reading up on this summer's project in Popular Mechanics. He's already poured his concrete pad, and installed the arbor. The "good neighbor" fence is done, so what's next? Ah, how about a nice brick BBQ! The extension cord is a nice touch. It doubles as the hookup to the party lights for those swinging good times. TV PavilionMotorola ad from 1961. Artist: Charles Schridde Kids are Kids are KidsA wonderful ode to the weather of Southern California and to the naturally rapscallion nature of modern kids who loved to be able to cut up for the camera whenever possible! Contrast these darling children with kids of the early 1900s. Thanks, Tterrace, from your fans in the chilly and wet Northeast! The Children's HourMaybe the kiddies were watching Engineer Bill on KHJ Channel 9, or Skipper Frank on KTLA 5, or the late and lamented Soupy Sales on ... I forget which channel. This was the year I left home and went into the world. Claremont KidI swear we had the same childhood. I grew up in the same years in Claremont (about 15 miles from Diamond Bar). My TV favorites were Engineer Bill (I drank milk to his "red light, green light" game), Sheriff John with his "laugh and be Happy" song, Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, Roy Rogers, and the Mickey Mouse Club. We often slept out on the patio during summer nights and listened to the sound of the crickets. Those were happy days. Sheriff John, maybeSheriff John on KTTV Channel 11. "Put another candle on my birthday cake, and when I do, a wish I'll make. Put another candle on my birthday cake, I'm another year old today. We'll have some pie and sandwiches, and chocolate ice cream, too. We'll sing and play the day away, and one more thing I'm going to do. I'll blow out the candles..." I can hear him and see him still. Other PossibilitiesIn addition to the channels DoninVa mentioned, it could be tuned to KCOP 13 (A Chris-Craft station). Just maybe it had that second UHF knob that turned slowly instead of clicked on to stations and was tuned to Speed Racer, Kimba, or Gigantor on Channel 52. Thanks tterrace for all of your great photos. As someone who grew up in Buena Park in the 60's and 70's, they sure look familiar (especially those from Knott's which was down the street from my house and where I got my first job). HockneyesqueThough it lacks the archetypal swimming pool, this photo reminds me very much of a David Hockney painting: most specifically in the colors and lighting. Is this a testament to tterrace's nascent appreciation of the emerging 1960s art movement or simply due to the the play of light on the typical California architecture of the era? PortabilityI bet he actually used the handle on top of the TV to move it out there. I don't think ours was ever used for that purpose -- just something I could fidget with. Our "portable" always sat there on the metal rolling cart in the dining room, where I'd watch Gilligan's Island and Brady Bunch reruns. "Green light, Engineer Bill!" Were Engineer Bill and Skipper Frank (was that his name--the guy in the white tee shirt and sailor cap who drew sketches to illustrate his stories?) still on the air in 1967? I remember watching them in the '50s; by 1967 I was too old for them. But I wasn't too old for Soupy Sales in the '60s. There is a great clip on YouTube of him and Pookie the Lion. Nice memories! Sunday mornings with...Tom Hatten Channeling ClaremontI also grew up in Claremont -- 4 years old in 1967; we had moved there in '65 and our tract home had a crappy screened-in "patio room" that we later enclosed with killer 1970s wood paneling. Not coincidentally, that room was also where the TV was -- Channel 52, Channel 13, Channel 11 and Channel 9. A kid's best friend during those years! Speaking of memory kicksThis backyard patio is probably standard for California, but it is weirdly similar to the backyard patio of a house I rented this summer in Santa Barbara. I was immediately reminded of the always-perfect weather, so different from what we have here in CT. Sixties SoCal!Looks exactly like our back yard in Garden Grove. Thanks for the memory kick! Patio O'Summer 1962Almost a twin to TTerrance's photo in layout. Our patio in Penticton British Columbia, the city of Peaches and Beaches and long hot summers,this patio was a must have for the hot days and nights. To the far right my Dad built long shelves that ran the length of the patio, he created an outdoor plug in and we had our tv in the center of the unit, he made swinging doors on the front to enclose it for overnight or when we were away. We would eat all our meals out there and at night sleep on the lounge chairs under the stars. Those trees in the back are Bing cherry and apricot, the one next to the patio which you can only see a few leaves is a cherry tree we also had plum, apple and tons of rose bushes.We kids never wanted to store the patio furniture for the winter that just finalized our summer fun. PerfectI remember watching my dad build a "patio cover" just like the one in the photo at out house in Garden Grove in about 1969. I was about 5 years old at the time. And yes, all dads had that hairstyle. My Hometown!I was surprised by this picture because I actually grew up in Diamond Bar in the 80's/90's. When I first saw that picture, I was shocked that it was in 1967 because it looks so similar to what my backyard was like. I guess some things never change! Reminds me so much of my childhood. Jaime' Vu? I was stunned to find out that my favorite TV childrens Show host was Anonymous outside of my small circle of programming. Mention your favorite TV kids personality and watch 90% of people draw a blank. Ever heard of 'Soupy Sales'? 'Tomorrow will be sunny, followed by monny, twooy....... (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, tterrapix)
Futuramic: 1950
... to all be in balance. It reminds me of the photography of Julius Shulman. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/28/2013 - 3:03pm -

February 15, 1950. New York. "Crystal Motors, business at 5901 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn. Exterior II." On display: the "Futuramic" 1950 Oldsmobile. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. I want..I would definitely take a few of those cool looking chairs, very artsy indeed. Re: Futuramic, indeedNot really. Between the very good Hydramatic automatic transmission and the first modern OHV V8 engine, Oldsmobiles of that time were pretty much the wave of, if not the future, then at least the next twenty years. They were pigs to drive, of course, but then American cars were pigs to drive for the next twenty or thirty years. When did downtown auto showrooms disappear, anyway? I remember them from the '50s - they were the rule rather than the exception, at least in the Northeast - but at some point everything moved to suburban lots and I missed the moment. Futuramic OldsesThe division's "Futuramic" body arrived for the 1948 model year, marking the debut of GM's redesigned postwar cars. Of Cadillac proportions for the first couple of years, by the early 1950s they'd had 5 inches lopped off their frames. The design with its integrated front fenders, full wheel openings and jet-tube headlights was progressive for the time, avoiding the dead-end vogue for bathtub-style bodies that afflicted a lot of late-40s cars. Dealer Showrooms!PersonFromPorlock, do you remember when Ford introduced the brand-new 1964-1/2 Mustang? Our dealer in Houma, Louisiana, had kraft paper covering all their windows so folks couldn't get a peek at this amazing new car until the designated day of introduction. I remember passing by the Ford dealer in our school bus and thinking that day would never arrive. RecommendedDon't forget to make an appointment for the 1,000 mile check up. Bring a list of the defects and problems with the car with you and we'll try to get it back to you in a few days. Odds are they won't fix them all on the first visit. Mid Century Futuramic The architecture is mid century futuramic. The vehicle is mid century. I had a 1957 Super 88 in high school in 1972. I loved that Rocket 500 power in a street boat. GM taught me about planned obsolescence from that car. Futuramic, indeedThe building, maybe, but not those dumpy crates. Olds buyers would have to wait until 1954 before they lost that look. Rite Aid PharmacyAccording to Google Street View, a Rite Aid Pharmacy now occupies the site. RadiosThe AM radios in 50s cars worked great, a lost sound. Recent road test, plus period filmMore on the 1950 Olds 88, from Motor Trend. Plus, some Futuramic period film on the 1948 Olds models as produced by the Jam Handy Organization. Mal, love your Hudson! If I remember correctlyThe Hudson 6 cylinder with dual H-Power still licked them at Daytona. [At the first NASCAR outing in Daytona Beach in 1949, the new Rocket Engine Oldsmobile ruled, taking the top four spots. - Dave] That's what I get for listening to a Hudson owner! Now that's a showroomLove, love the slanted windows of the showroom; so very up to date in 1950. I also remember car dealers in the Middle of downtown Minneapolis; I think some were still there in the 60s. I love the big "pig cars". I would trade in my Corolla for one any time!! To quote the Blues Brothers"The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year!" Not Until 1951It was 1951, the year of my Hudson Hornet shown here, when Hudson put Oldsmobile in its place. With the advent of the Hudson Hornet in 1951, Hudson became the NASCAR champion, a position they held through 1954. Hudson's big 308 cubic inch flathead six with dual carbs (Twin-H Power) when combined Hudson's vastly superior handling did the trick. Oldsmobile 98I learned to drive in a 1952 Oldsmobile 98 4-door sedan. It was a beautiful dark green monster purchased new by my parents in Dallas, Texas. The vehicle persevered until 1966 when it was sold to a young tow truck operator, for a pittance, after the fuel pump failed. Dad would say"Why pay for a Cadillac when you can get the same features on an Olds a year earlier?" My understanding was that tilted windows were placed that way to avoid the reflections of headlights. Sit!Please, sit down and admire our cars. Loewy RidersThe showroom itself appears to have been inspired-if not actually designed-by Raymond Loewy. In addition to creating the look of the postwar Studebakers, Loewy designed storefronts, filling stations, furniture, locomotives, etc. Never mind the OldsmobilesThis is a beautiful example of tricky exposure - getting the lit interior of the showroom, the neon sign, and the exterior at what looks like dusk to all be in balance. It reminds me of the photography of Julius Shulman. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
College Modern: 1961
... spindly sapling, now grown to gigantic proportions. Not Julius Shulman, but a nice shot, I think. View full size. Little Boxes Much ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:12pm -

I've been on a Mid-Century Modern architecture kick lately, so I dug out this Kodachrome my brother took in 1961 on the campus of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Interesting combination of study areas housed in this 1959 Bauhaus-y building. Looking at the arrangement of those window panels, I can't help thinking of Redwood High School in Larkspur, which opened in 1958. This building (now Mathematics and Science) is still there, although this view is mostly obscured by what is apparently that spindly sapling, now grown to gigantic proportions. Not Julius Shulman, but a nice shot, I think. View full size. Little BoxesMuch is owed to Piet Mondrian. Still contemporary and attractiveI really like this kind or architecture, too. To me, it makes a very good use of spaces without sacrificing style; form and function are nicely balanced, and the results are still attractive and usable today. For the sake of comparison, this is a shot of Mexico's National University rectory tower in Mexico City, built around the same time the Math & Home Economics building was erected. To be sure, it is a very different style, and, although it is still used (and useful), I prefer the simplicity and the basic geometric forms of the "Bauhaus-y" building. And of course, the usual compliments on the quality of the photo itself. I love the vibrant colors, the composition, the blue sky, the green grass, and the total absence of people that lets you focus on the building itself, without distractions. You and your siblings are fantastic photographers, and I'm sure I speak for all the regular Shorpyites when I say that I always look forward to see your next contribution. Thanks for sharing the images, Tterrace! Eames HouseThis is the Eames House in Pacific Palisades, CA. It was one of the early icons of this genre of architecture. It uses a lot of industrial components brought together in a way that makes a wonderfully livable space. I was an Eames employee for a decade up to 1978 and often visited the building. Was startled to see how big the sycamores have gotten in this recent photo. Architects need to think about that. High School ModernHere are those Mondrian-y windows at Redwood High School I was talking about, in another shot by my brother from 1958. You can also see a bit of the main part of the building, and why it was common to joke about it being an extension of nearby San Quentin Prison. BauhausI'm very interested in the modernist style, particularly Bauhaus. My grandfather (b. 1898) was an architect in Germany who designed an apartment block in Buckeburg in the middle of the 20th century. The family lived in an apartment there postwar (my mother spent her teenage years there) and I spent many holidays there in the sixties/seventies. It was a fantastic building full of original Bauhaus furniture, lights etc. It was sold when my grandmother died ten years ago and I last visited in 1981. Unfortunately at the age of 18 I had absolutely no idea what modernism was or had any interest in that wonderful building. Frozen in timeWhat I really love about this shot and the one of Redwood High, is the timeless quality of them. 61 and 58 maybe, but if we didn't know that they could have been taken yesterday. It's a sensation that I feel sometimes, but which is hard to describe. Keep them coming tterrace, Sundays just wouldn't be the same anymore without seeing your newest post and reading the comments. As that tiger says, they're grrrreat! Beautiful!I love Shorpy for its turn-of-the-century goodness, but these mid-century shots are exciting to me as well. These school shots are particularly nice - by the time I started school (around 1970) a lot of the 1950's buildings had been adjusted or painted or altered in some way so it is good to see them in their original condition. But even at 5-6 years old I could recognize the good bones in these modernist structures and realize they were special (and not just "plain" or "prison-like" as some thought.) And tterrace, I think Julius would have enjoyed this shot. Golden RectangleThis building is an example of what is known in the art world, the engineering world, and the mathematics world, as the Golden Rectangle, or a rectangle with a proportion of 1.618:1. Of course it would adorn the Math building. To find out about the timelessness of this art form, and its mathematical derivation, track down a copy of Disney's "Donald in Mathemagic Land" (available, believe it or not, on YouTube) - or google Golden Rectangle and check out the examples. Palm Springs Modernism Week 2011Palm Springs is the home of much mid-century modernism architecture, enough that each year in February the have a Modernism Week event. This February I was visiting friends there during that week and we self-drove the route of a Modernism Week tour. Here's one of the many houses that display that style. Windows Today In my never ending attempt to walk in the footsteps of TTerrace, I offer up a photo taken on my walk this morning. As you can see, there has been some additional work done to the building, with no sense of how it effects the viewing of the architectural design. None of the windows at the school have the tinted colored glass any more, and the frames themselves are quite symmetrical, lacking their seemingly random placement. The illusion of which comes from the placement of another set of windows on the other side of the building. This can be done because there is a large opening in the center of the building that at one time was called the Senior Quad. Whoa be it to the hapless underclassman entering it's not so friendly confines. Trees & BuildingsBill T. brings up a good point. Landscaping can be an enhancement to architecture, but it's often forgotten that it needs to be managed over time. For example, from the Google Street View, here is the Cal Poly building from about the same angle today: So this must be the buildingwhere they teach you how to double a recipe. Tree trimmingAlas, Angkor Wat succumbed to poor landscape maintenance. Individual tasteis a wonderful thing. Personally, this type of architecture leaves me cold. Plus the fact that in the midwest (where I live) flat roofs are a little impractical when you average nearly 6 ft. of snow a year! But a great photo none the less, tterrace. Ah, my alma materThat should be the end of the building facing Dexter Lawn and the Dexter building. An interesting choice for architectural amusement on campus. I always found Architecture, the Kennedy Library, and the University Union to be more interesting. I had a bunch of math computer labs in that building, as well as Advanced Engineering Math (in the summer ... booo!). But back when I was there, there was still a textiles/sewing lab and the child development/preschool playground in that building, too. Hopefully, they have replaced the PowerMacs we ran Maple on with something newer. --Ben (B.S. MatE 1999) (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
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