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Sid Caesar: 1922-2014
... Century" opposite Rock Hudson when it was playing in San Francisco in about 1979 or 1980. As manager of a local theatre production, I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/12/2014 - 9:26pm -

Sid Caesar, Pioneer of Television Comedy, Is Dead at 91         A list of Mr. Caesar’s writers over the years reads like a comedy all-star team -- Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Neil Simon, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart ... -- New York Times New York, February 1952. "Your Show of Shows comedians Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca doing a skit about a couple watching 'The Continental'." From photos by Charlotte Brooks and Earl Theisen for the Look magazine assignment "Takeoff on 'The Continental'." View full size. Uncomplicated TVThe Continental was an early 1950s TV show. The host, a European seductive type, invited women into his apartment for Champagne and and evening of pleasure, which included a movie. It lasted only one or two seasons. It was reincarnated on Saturday Night Live with Christopher Walken as the Continental. It was a lot funnier, but the 1950s show was, for its time, a bit risque, but tame by today's standards. Sid & Imogene's take on it must have been riotous at the time. [Obscure fact I had to look up: The Continental was played by one Renzo Cesana. - Dave] The cameraThat's a nice close-up of an RCA TK-10 camera. The knob and the hole at the lower left corner are not factory. Back then, studio engineers did a lot of actual engineering, making the equipment work better than new. A true pioneer in television comedyUncle Miltie might have been first funnyman on the airwaves, but Sid took it to the next level. His trusty sidekick went on to play Aunt Edna in the first 'Vacation' movie. What a pair! Back when you had 3 channels to pick from, think of the percentage of American homes that were laughing along with them. The Continental, SNL style.... First ShirleyAnd now Sid! It is strange how we seem to lose the greats in clusters of three! I wonder who will be soon to follow? Live TV blooperOne night during his live broadcast, the Continental mixed up his nouns and supposedly said "the stockings do for your face what the powder does for your legs." It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldWorth watching to catch all those wonderful comic actors doing their cameos. Caesar was a hoot, especially in the basement of the Hardware Store! He will be missed, thank goodness for YouTube and DVDs. Grindl!I had the incredible pleasure of meeting Imogene Coca when she was appearing in "On the Twentieth Century" opposite Rock Hudson when it was playing in San Francisco in about 1979 or 1980. As manager of a local theatre production, I was able to go backstage on several occasions and chat with her. Once I told her that I should have asked her to autograph a program as "Grindl." She laughed, and said I was too young to remember that! But I actually remember her in Show of Shows, when everyone came over to our house to watch one of the only TVs in the neighborhood. She was a delightful woman, and I miss her! Rock Hudson, on the other hand, was brusque, and not really suited to the part he was playing on stage. The best performance I saw of that show (I saw MANY!) was with his stand-in. (The Gallery, LOOK, TV)
ROFL: 1955
... advantage of. Her birth records were destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. When the 1900 census became public in 1972, her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/17/2019 - 1:04pm -

Los Angeles, 1955. "Comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen." Color trans­parency for the Look magazine assignment "Fall TV Preview." View full size. HeterochromiaYes, sure does look like she has different colored eyes. "Say goodnight, Gracie.""Goodnight Gracie." Half sleevesFrom what I've read in the past, Gracie always wore outfits with half sleeves, to hide a large scar on her right forearm, due to a burn from boiling water suffered in childhood. CharmOne of the neat things about their TV shows was George would often talk directly to the camera and tell us about what was about to happen. Neat gimmick. The Last LaughGracie may be getting the last laugh. She was always elusive about her age. Even now in the information age some sites give her birth year as 1895 while others state 1902 or even 1905. One site revealed an explanation which apparently Gracie may have taken advantage of. Her birth records were destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. When the 1900 census became public in 1972, her birth year was said to be 1895, but the discrepancy still exists even on her grave marker. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22/gracie-allen/photo http://www.hollywoodgravehunter.com/site/bio.php?bnum=30 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracie_Allen#/media/File:Gracie_Allen_Grav... (Kodachromes, LOOK, TV)
Buying Time: 1925
...   Introducing -- the Maxwell "Sisyphus Six" San Francisco circa 1925. "Advertisement for the 'Good Maxwell,' built by Chrysler ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/01/2015 - 1:35pm -

        Introducing -- the Maxwell "Sisyphus Six" San Francisco circa 1925. "Advertisement for the 'Good Maxwell,' built by Chrysler engineers." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Stuck?Problem with a lot of these old car photos is you can't tell if they are moving or not. This one might just be stuck and waiting for a tow. I actually think that most if not all of them are still, not moving, because of the slow film speed. [Photographic emulsions of the time were perfectly capable of stopping action, and long had been. This, however, is a posed promotional photo. -tterrace] The Thirteenth ReasonIf it was good enough for Jack Benny, it's good enough for you! To hear what his Maxwell sounded like, as interpreted by the great Mel Blanc, visit here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=17N2g2Ryqi8 Yet another excellent title by DaveWell done, Dave. Kudos and accolades on your captioning acumen. Reason # 13"Next year, the brand will be retired and you'll own an orphan car." And now I shall try to imagine this Maxwell happy. $25 cash prizeThe 13th reason for buying a good Maxwell is that it's better than buying a bad Maxwell. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin)
Boys' Choir: 1942
... Collier co-founded the Visual Anthropology Department at San Francisco University and was teaching there in the 1970s. (Boy Scouts, John ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 11:38pm -

"Portuguese Boy Scouts singing in New Bedford, Massachusetts." Photograph by John Collier, spring 1942. View full size. Love it! Can almost hearLove it! Can almost hear them. The amazing John CollierDid you know that after John's stint with the FSA photographic project he went to Standard Oil with his mentor, Roy Stryker, and then became an academic? His book "Visual Anthropology: Photography as a research method" was written for anthropologists who carry cameras. John CollierJohn Collier co-founded the Visual Anthropology Department at San Francisco University and was teaching there in the 1970s. (Boy Scouts, John Collier, Kids)
Special Six: 1924
San Francisco circa 1924. "Studebaker Special Six Duplex-Phaeton." Mother says to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/29/2016 - 8:46pm -

San Francisco circa 1924. "Studebaker Special Six Duplex-Phaeton." Mother says to get in or we're leaving without you. 5x7 inch glass negative. View full size. Style leaderA distinctive, handsome (and known to be rugged) automobile especially so fitted with disc wheels and no-nonsense Miller tires. Looks years ahead of its time. Duplex Top"Duplex" was Studebaker's name for the permanent all steel top seen on this model. It was available in all three Studebaker series of cars this year - Standard Six, Special Six, and Big Six. There were roller curtains which could be lowered from the top in 30 seconds to enclose all seating. A photo of what this looked like is below. The car shown above is actually a 1925 model, but it was available from August 1924. The Special Six Duplex Phaeton cost $1,450, it had a 120 in wheelbase, 19 gallon gas tank, and 65 horsepower. One interesting option for 1925 was four-wheel brakes. When equipped with this option and disc wheels, the discs were convex instead of concave because of the width of the brake drums. 2004 Gough Street, SFThe two homes pictured are still standing though somewhat changed. Location is across from Lafayette Park, in which vicinity many photos in this collection were taken. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin)
Cafeteria Style: 1949
... image, and calling out Jack Delano! or Another of those San Francisco cars!) But there's the clinical recording in B & W of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/03/2015 - 3:47pm -

July 6, 1949. "Johns-Manville Research Laboratory, Finderne, New Jersey. Cafeteria. Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, architects." Continuing the tour begun here. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Gottscho-SchleisnerWhy do I love G-S so much? Part of it is the instant recognizability. (Although I do also love refreshing the site, seeing the new image, and calling out Jack Delano! or Another of those San Francisco cars!) But there's the clinical recording in B & W of the essence of a place, somewhere in or near NYC, sometimes of the amazing Manhattan skyline (e.g. Gotham Noir: 1933 or Midcentury Manhattan: 1950), at a time within living memory of some of us, and of objects and rooms and layouts which we younger oldsters recognize from our youths. G-S's clean photos also manage to exude a humanity and warmth, most of the time (all of the time?) without any humans present. Some of the images (e.g. 30 Rock: 1933 or Gotham: 1931) are so mythic and luminous that I wonder if they're actually photographs of real things. Everything neat and tidy... and ashtrays properly placed. Kudos to the cafeteria crew. Pardon MeThe above phrase had to be said anytime someone wanted to leave a table in the center or left sides of this room. Hard Chairs ...... not designed for lingering. [You don't see the rather thick seat cushions? The seatbacks are padded, also. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Living the Dream: 1920s
... 15 years), my grandfather became a successful San Francisco real estate broker. This photo from the 1920s (exact date unknown) is ... to be 93 years old and passed away, alone, in 1976 in San Francisco, never having remarried. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, ... 
 
Posted by Bob Burns - 02/09/2018 - 7:44pm -

My maternal grandparents Rose and John Peshekerian were survivors of the Armenian holocaust, both having lost their parents to the Ottoman Turks. They met and married in California and later produced two daughters, one of whom was my mother. Both arrived in the United States with not much more than the clothes on their backs. In relatively short order, though(perhaps 15 years), my grandfather became a successful San Francisco real estate broker. This photo from the 1920s (exact date unknown) is an obvious expression of them having "arrived." Both are dressed to the nines; both formally posed as husband and wife. Rose died of cancer in 1949, at the age of 56. John lived to be 93 years old and passed away, alone, in 1976 in San Francisco, never having remarried. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Coast to Coast: 1924
April 26, 1924. "Walking from San Francisco to New York for his health, W.E. Campbell stops at the White House. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2014 - 5:38pm -

April 26, 1924. "Walking from San Francisco to New York for his health, W.E. Campbell stops at the White House. He left California Oct. 23, 1923." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. It's all relativeHe may be tired and footsore, but he seems in a lot better shape than either his coveralls or his banner. Such primitive conditionsJust think, he did this without being able to start every morning with a grande caramel macchiato from the corner Starbucks! UnlessUnless you've got the latest in sneaker technology no one's gonna try it today. ...and don't forget a sponsor. I own those coveralls!I have an identical pair of coveralls, in quite similar condition, that I wear for dirty jobs around the house. They were sealed-up in a knee-wall attic when my house was built in 1925. My best guess is that they belonged to an insulator, who would have taken them off on a warm day, only to lose them when the lathers came along and sealed them up. By good fortune, they fit me perfectly. While in the bottom quintile today, I would have been of quite average build ninety years ago. Mr. Campbell's expressionAt first glance I though he looked a bit grouchy, but when the image was enlarged the kind of determination it took to undertake such an epic trip was what I saw. I hope it was a complete success and that he was able to live a good life and make other such inspiring quests. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Parlor Portrait: 1914
San Francisco, 1914. My mother's family and their chandelier posed for a portrait ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 12/03/2016 - 9:16pm -

San Francisco, 1914. My mother's family and their chandelier posed for a portrait shot on a 5x7 glass plate in their home at 1834 15th St. On the floor, my mother and her twin brother Albert. Seated, John and Marie. Standing to either side, Francis and Mary. View full size. Gas/Electric ChandelierMy sister has pointed out that our grandparents' chandelier is a combination gas/electric model. Fixtures of this kind were common in the later 1800s when newfangled electrical supply was not as reliable as tried-and-true gas. On this one, the upward-pointing things that look like stubby candles are the gas fixtures, and the fact that they no longer have glass shades is an indication that they'd been long unused at this point. Click here to enlarge. Gas/Electric fixturesThe gas pillars wouldn't have had glass shades -- they were meant to resemble candles, including an open flame. The Mission/Craftsman style of the fixture shows that it was probably not even 10 years old in 1916 (the house doesn't look much older, for that matter). My house didn't get electricity until 1926, and it's right in the middle of the city. Electricity, even in the so-called "City of Light" that Buffalo claimed to be, was so expensive that only the wealthy could afford it until the late 1920s. Buffalo rates in 1910 translate to $2.40 per meter click, compared to my current (high) rate of around 22 cents! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Portraits, tterrapix)
F-86A California: 1954
... February 1952 To 6400th ADW FEAMCOM 27 April 1952 To San Francisco Air Materiel Command 7 June 1952 To Sacramento Air Materiel Area, ... 
 
Posted by dclark26 - 01/19/2011 - 10:07am -

This photo was taken on a flight from Van Nuys, Calif., to Palmdale, Calif., in 1954. I was in the Air National Guard from 1948 to 1957. View full size. Korean War survivor This F-86, 48-260, saw combat against MiG-15s in Korea, flying most of its missions from Kimpo Air Base in Seoul. It was assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing, the first F-86 unit in Korea. At some point after its California Air National Guard service (dclark26's photo, above) it spent years at the Smithsonian's Paul Garber restoration facility in Maryland. Since 2005 it has been on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles airport in Virginia. Here's a portion of a picture I took of it in 2009, showing its 48-260 serial number. Its history can be found on Joe Baugher's fantastic archive of U.S. military aircraft http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1946.html Full History of s/n 48-260In fairness Baugher's site isn't very detailed. The full (ish) history of this machine is thus: F-86A-5 s/n 48-260 with construction number 43629. Delivered 26 July 1949 Assigned to 4th Fighter Group 31 July 1949 To 334th FIS 15Aug50 Assigned to 4th FIW 14 September 1950 To 13th Aircraft Repair Sqn Kisarazu (Japan) 28 January 1952 To 6400th Air Depot Wing FEAMCOM 31 January 1952 To 4th FIW, Korea 20 February 1952 To 6400th ADW FEAMCOM 27 April 1952 To San Francisco Air Materiel Command 7 June 1952 To Sacramento Air Materiel Area, McClellan AFB CA 10 June 1952 To North American Aviation Fresno 11 August 1952 To 3595th Combat Crew Training Wing, Nellis AFB 26 May 1953 To Sacramento Air Materiel Area 7 January 1954 To 116th FIS Washington ANG 6 February 1954 To 195th FIS CA ANG (1954?) - though I think the above photo is with 115th FIS CA ANG. To Boeing December 1957 To NASM 25 January 1962 F-86A 48-260This aircraft was with the 195th. It had the checker board painted nose. Aircraft recordsIn fairness to Joe Baugher, if each of his 92 gazillion listed aircraft had a record as detailed as the excellent one Sabrejet provided, he'd need another Internet. Also, a lot of his info comes from contributors to his site who appreciate his efforts to archive as many military aircraft as possible. I'm one of them and have sent him probably at least a hundred records through a number of years. Without such sites there'd be no record of many, many specific airplanes that men flew and, too often, died in. And the other aircraft is......judging by the fixed fuel tanks on the end of the wing, the photo was taken from an F-89 Scorpion. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Battle Stations: 1942
... Division, Fleet Marine Force, C/O Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, California. I got it right here . . . Based upon the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2019 - 1:29pm -

November 12, 1942. "Jap radio tuned in on U.S. -- Marine communicators found this radio set which was left behind by the Japs on Guadalcanal, and use it to listen in on U.S. broadcasts in their leisure time. The Marines are (left to right) Cpl. James Shadduck, Pvt. Alex N. Incinelli, Pvt. Robert Galer, Cpl. Sidney B. Land and Pvt. Arthur D. Roda, and part of their job is to see that the messages get through." New York World-Telegram & Sun newsphoto. View full size. Mail CallMuster Date: Oct 1942 Station: First Signal Company, Division Headquarters Battalion, First Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, C/O Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, California. I got it right here . . .Based upon the expressions of Private Galer and Corporal Land, Fibber just opened his hall closet. They'd better get used to itA few decades hence, these guys and their wives/kids will all be listening to Jap radios every day. Hallicrafters speakerBuilt for the Navy - nice touch. (Technology, The Gallery, News Photo Archive, WW2)
Fountain of the Evening Star: 1940
... Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island, San Francisco, 1940. The The woman with the hat at the Fountain of the Evening ... 
 
Posted by returntoBuddha - 05/15/2015 - 7:16pm -

Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island, San Francisco, 1940. The The woman with the hat at the Fountain of the Evening Star by sculptor Ettore Cadorin. From a box of Kodachrome slides I found at a flea market. View full size. Early color photoMust be Kodachrome in its infancy! [Actually the second version of the film, introduced in 1938. The original 1935 Kodachrome's color dyes were not as stable. -tterrace] As a photographer......let me belatedly complement whoever took this picture on its excellent composition. Treasure IslandI was stationed on Treasure Island for 10 days in July of 1969, while I was getting discharged from the Marine Corps. I was fascinated and mystified by the remains of streets and buildings laid out neatly over a large area, the only evidence being little stones in the ground marking off the blocks. It was only many years later that I learned what it was all about. How I wish I had had a complete guidebook and map, to be able to visualize what had stood there! I'm told that even those little evidences are now long gone. :-( (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Washstand Cowboy: 1939
... cabin, to rent at $400 per night to tourists from LA and San Francisco, flying in for a week to "slow down". 1939 must have been a year ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/23/2018 - 3:18pm -

June 1939. "Cowhand using roller towel. Quarter Circle 'U' Ranch, Big Horn County, Montana." Photo by Arthur Rothstein for the FSA. View full size. Pith HelmetsThat type of pith helmet was strongly identified with the Marine Corps during WWII...I believe it was model of 1936. It was heavily used in training to protect the recruits from sunstroke, and seems to have been worn at war anyplace hot and slightly behind the risk of death. Marine ones can be distinguished from the also popular civilian ones by an extra vent grommet at front center to hold the globe and anchor emblem. Inside is dark green, because the unpainted inside on some civilian types made the thing into a very efficient solar cooker for the head if the occupant was on a reflective surface like sand or concrete. The inverted bowl shape makes the thing highly resistant to blowing away...the aerodynamics provide the downforce that most broad rimmed hats lack. They left the service in 1963, and with some gray paint became a commonly seen hat for Post Office letter carriers. Rolling alongAgh, roller towels, one of the banes of my existence when I was young! I can't count the number of times I would pull the towel along only to find it grey, grimy-looking and wrinkled. The first time that happened I thought I must have pulled it the wrong direction, but no. Roller towels, gah! No frillsI suspect this "roller towel" just kept going around with everyone using the same one until it was just too wet to use. Talk about a spartan existence; I don't see a single thing in this bunkhouse that is in pristine or even sanitary condition and I can't even guess what the community teaspoon below the windowsill was for. Eye to EyeRoller towels! And their cousin, the towel with the grommet on a spindle. It's all fun and games until somebody gets pinkeye! Shabby chicAll of this décor, with the exception of the disgusting and unsanitary roller towel (I just barely remember those things) has now been repurposed in some nearby tiny house or vardo or yurt or log cabin, to rent at $400 per night to tourists from LA and San Francisco, flying in for a week to "slow down". 1939 must have been a year for pith helmetsHere and on the Colorado farmer from last week. Would like to see what type rifle that is under it. Down with rollingRoller towels. Didn't feed enough towel or not at all. That's one device I don't miss, even in the age of electric hand dryers! (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein)
Governor Pat Brown
San Francisco, March 17, 1965. California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr. , ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 05/12/2016 - 3:12pm -

San Francisco, March 17, 1965. California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr., father of Jerry, in the St. Patrick's Day parade at Jones & McAllister, off Market St. Those are probably his grandkids. I shot this on 35mm Kodachrome. View full size. PontiacThat is one sweet '64 Bonneville. Foy Las Vegas Outstanding!I love this photo. A snapshot of history with an intriguing subject in a cool city. Thanks for posting! 36 HoursNow Showing. Mediocre film with 3 of Hollywood's most popular stars: Eva Marie Saint, James Garner and Rod Taylor. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Short Commute: 1943
... line well into the 90's. Apparently, some of those went to San Francisco's Market St. Railway when the Newark line became a modern light rail ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/26/2013 - 12:22pm -

April 1943. Washington, D.C. "Little boy riding on a streetcar." Photo by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size. No longer trueWhen most travel adventures promised that "getting there is half the fun." Hey you!The lad looks like he's having a bad day. FamiliarBased on design and construction, I'm guessing it was a PCC car... same as I'd ridden on Newark, NJ's "City Subway" line well into the 90's. Apparently, some of those went to San Francisco's Market St. Railway when the Newark line became a modern light rail system, complete with articulated cars and honor-system ticketing. Paging Roy ChalkSuggested art for your next "It's Fun to Trolley!" campaign. (Okay, his ownership of DC Transit was 13 years in the future, but O. Roy Chalk had a flair for humanizing his economic predations, and would have appreciated this shot). (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, Kids, Streetcars)
Capital Steps: 1923
... flat (as they would be called in my home town, San Francisco, since they have private entrances from the street), probably has a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/07/2013 - 5:13pm -

"City rowhouses, 1923." Another glimpse of back-alley Washington, D.C. Added bonus: a nice turnbuckle star. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Can it be?Hey! I've been watching for the longest time for some milk on a windowsill. Is that a can of same hanging from above? Railroad Apartments?Even for railroad apartments, those look narrow--unless there were two stoops per apartment. NarrowCounting bricks, I estimate a width of 12 feet, 14 tops. One front door per unit. Single-loaded corridor. Yeah, but . . .Every other door probably leads to a staircase to the second floor. Each ground-floor flat (as they would be called in my home town, San Francisco, since they have private entrances from the street), probably has a front hallway that leads past the cutout for the neighbor's staircase into an apartment that is twice as wide as it seems from the street. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Flower Lady: c. 1902
... size. beautiful girl first glance I thought "San Francisco, 1967" She is sure gorgeous. beautiful girl "be sure to wear ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 11:45am -

A glamour photograph of a girl posing with flowers. Photograph by J. Maurer, c. 1902. View full size. beautiful girlfirst glance I thought "San Francisco, 1967" She is sure gorgeous. beautiful girl"be sure to wear flowers in your hair" (The Gallery, Portraits)
Crossing Canal: 1890
... starting in 1893. A few cities still have streetcars (San Francisco), but buses pretty much replaced them by the 1960s. Individual ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2019 - 9:47am -

New Orleans circa 1890. "St. Charles Hotel from Canal Street." 5x7 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Look CloselyThose streetcars have some real horsepower! Horsecar HistoryHorse powered omnibuses (called horsecars) were very common in the 19th century. The problem with horsecars was the horses. Specifically horse manure and urine. Horses could also panic, dragging the horsecar after them. Most cities (including New Orleans) tried replacing horsecars with different solutions: ammonia engines, steam "dummies" (effectively a small steam engine inside a converted horsecar), battery powered cars, cable cars. Eventually electric overhead powered streetcars using trolleys became the norm. In New Orleans, horsecars were replaced by overhead powered electric streetcars starting in 1893. A few cities still have streetcars (San Francisco), but buses pretty much replaced them by the 1960s. Individual traffic on railsThere are some cities (in know Lisbon and Linz) that used special gauges in order to avoid carriage traffic on their tracks. This photo shows the reason quite well as the gig is just rerailed. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Streetcars, W.H. Jackson)
Braking Point: 1932
... by California's governor and the mayors of Oakland and San Francisco." Traffic Button Can someone explain the purpose of that ... 
 
Posted by Cazzorla - 05/11/2016 - 5:02pm -

Los Angeles traffic cop/actor/chef Tom Jensen again, in the second photo of this exciting series, scanned by Shorpy member Cazzorla. View full size. SnippetsAlthough the traffic cop is the same, along with the identical DeVaux automobile, the location is now at West 24th Street and South Vermont Avenue. The Barber Shop and Beauty Shop sign at the upper right shows the address of the business run by Frank A. (1890 - 1950) and Gladys Whitaker at 2322 S. Vermont Avenue. Norman deVaux, one of the DeVaux company founders, was friends with Governor James Rolph of California. The governor sought to publicize the California motor industry. Consequently there are several newspapers articles where the text states specifically that the governor was riding or driven in a DeVaux (which had a factory in Oakland). In a feature on the DeVaux Automobile in the March-April 1972 "Antique Automobile" hobby publication, Richard Larrowe stated, "Fifty new 1931 DeVaux cars that had been made specially for the factory opening, paraded through the streets of Oakland, headed by California's governor and the mayors of Oakland and San Francisco." Traffic ButtonCan someone explain the purpose of that traffic button on the pavement? I find it difficult to imagine its function. Thanks for any information. [Check out the other photo linked in the caption. -tterrace] Re: Google Street View TodayGoogle Street View today. Meaning of Letters on License PlatesHealdsburg Tribune, Number 92, 20 February 1932: What the letters mean on California motor vehicle licenses plates is a frequent question among motorists, observes the California State Automobile association, which gives the following explanation of the letter system. .... Automobile dealers’ cars, of course, are easily recognized by the letters “DLR” on the license plates. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Dodge, c. 1949
... me was wandering around my father's grocery store in San Francisco, gleeful that I could just pull anything off the shelf, take it to ... 
 
Posted by duckpin - 09/20/2011 - 1:33am -

This is my grandfather's 1949 Dodge B-1-B panel truck, taken in front of his grocery store on School Street in Norwich, Conn. This picture dates from about 1949 or 1950. View full size. Dad's groceryMore or less around this time, the 3-5 year-old me was wandering around my father's grocery store in San Francisco, gleeful that I could just pull anything off the shelf, take it to the back room and eat it. At this point a hazy but wonderful memory. How about you? Love the truck. My father's store, unfortunately, exists only in black-and-white. That stroller...left without a concern for theft, is just like one I was pictured in. Thanks for reminding me of that ancient device. Colorize ItHey tterrace, get the colorizers to colorize your father's grocery store. Don't bemoan the exisence of only black-and-white shots. What are you waiting for? 1952Judging from the Connecticut license plate: This was a black on silver 1951 Commercial truck plate with a green 1952 tab. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Stores & Markets)
Fly BOAC: c.1958
... many color slides that my father shot when we lived in the San Francisco area in the mid to late 1950's. This particular shot was taken on ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 07/13/2012 - 10:37pm -

This is one of many color slides that my father shot when we lived in the San Francisco area in the mid to late 1950's. This particular shot was taken on Anscochrome film and shows Union Square in downtown SF. Note the overhead wires for the electric buses. I have many more like this, which I'll try to post as time allows. View full size. A Corvette!Gimme that Vette, please! Time LineThat 1958 Chevrolet looks like the newest car in the pic. This would make the earliest date fall of 1957. I don't remember that chrome piece at the rear of the back window. [That bit of chrome was specific to certain Bel Air models. - tterrace] A rare body styleThe Corvette is cool, but I'll take the '58 Bel-air hardtop. In fact, I had one almost exactly like it, bought it used in 1962 to go to college in. 1958 was a rare year for the entire GM lineup. The cars were new from the 55-57 group, but strangely not repeated in 59. The 58 models had another distinction––there were more available body styles than in 57 and previous years, or 59 and succeeding years. The one pictured here was a rare variation of the Bel-air 4-door hardtop. Most Bel-air 4-door hardtops had a slightly different treatment of the roofline and rear door pillars. This one is white over silver blue. Mine was silver blue over white, otherwise this car would be identical to mine. The car was a dreamboat and proved at college to be an incredible chick magnet. Co-eds loved to ride in it at night with the windows down, and my buddies and I loved to oblige them. BTW, the "V" emblem on the hood indicates a V8 engine, the soon to be famous "small block" Chevy. First year with 283 cubes, too. What a car! B O A CAs our Brit friends explain it, "Better On A Camel"! Thanks to DbellI sing with a community chorus, and we just wrapped up a concert series that was all music from the Beatles. Thanks to Dbell's pointing out the B.O.A.C. sign, I now have "Back in the U.S.S.R." stuck in my head - "Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C...." Thanks for a great historic picture of one of my favorite cities! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Wilmington Trolley Garage: 1950
... Wilmington. View full size. Trolley Buses San Francisco Muni has an extensive fleet of trolley buses. Although the overhead ... 
 
Posted by jan_1968 - 09/19/2011 - 11:17pm -

The garage of the Delaware Coach Company (1939–1957) in Wilmington, DE. The photo was taken in August 1950 by my father, then 18 years old, who stayed at a friend of the family residing at 1413, Delaware Avenue, Wilmington. View full size. Trolley BusesSan Francisco Muni has an extensive fleet of trolley buses. Although the overhead wiring is expensive, they have relatively spirited acceleration and hill climbing compared to noisy roaring diesel buses, and they can maneuver around obstacles better than rail cars. The newest ones have on board auxiliary power units that allow short runs "off the wire". I remember seeing an operator trying to restore contact once as a kid when we went to the big city. The power comes from Hetch Hetchy Dam, and is therefore non-polluting. Off the gridThese were electric-powered vehicles that drew their energy from overhead wires, but ran on rubber tires without steel tracks. Novice drivers sometimes took 90 degree turns too sharply, and the power poles disconnected from the wires. In such cases, he (or she?) had to diembark and reconnect the poles to the wires using a rope connected to each pole. Wilmington trackless trolleysThe coach in the center is a 1939 Mack. It's in my historic transit vehicle collection. The other two coaches were built by J.G. Brill. All three were originally built for the Delaware Electric Power Company. DEPCo. was forced to sell off its transit operations. It was purchased by the Delaware Coach Company. That company was sold to a public transit authority known as DART several years ago. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Church Crew: 1902
San Francisco c. 1902. Building St. Boniface Church. The monk in the center, ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 04/03/2019 - 8:35am -

San Francisco c. 1902. Building St. Boniface Church. The monk in the center, holding the roll of plans, is the German-born Adrian Wewer, O.S.F (1836-1914), architect of this and over 100 church and other buildings in the U.S. Next to him on the left, the big strapping guy in the dark hat and holding a cigar stub, is my grandfather on my mother's side. Four years later, the building was reduced to an empty shell in the earthquake and fire. Scanned from a period 8x10 probably contact-printed from a glass plate. View full size. HatsNotice that all the men in this photo, except one, and the Franciscan monks, are wearing hats. Not formal - just part of the gear, like baseball hats are today. Family ResemblanceYou can see the family resemblance between your mother and your grandfather in the eyes and mouth. What a fantastic picture! After the earthquakeFound an image here of the aftermath: (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Santa Monica: 1954
... this system being in use at many intersections in downtown San Francisco when, in the 1954ish period, I'd accompany my mother on shopping ... 
 
Posted by dclark26 - 12/14/2011 - 2:08pm -

This was tried for a few years. When it was time to walk everyone took off in any direction to get to the other side. Never did hear of the mortality rate with that new brainstorm. View full size. ScrambleI remember this system being in use at many intersections in downtown San Francisco when, in the 1954ish period, I'd accompany my mother on shopping trips. It was called "scramble" then, and a quick search finds that it's still the term where it's in use. If you can believe Wikipedia, there are still a few in SF and and in some other US cities. The disadvantage isn't about pedestrian safety, as vehicles on both streets have a red, but in the potential increase in vehicular congestion. Square dance It's being introduced here in Adelaide, South Australia as the 'Square Dance' intersection. I don't know if it's been used here before, certainly not since I started driving in the '70s. It seems effective to protect those pedestrians that seem to get 'simpler' every year from the drivers who were 'simple' to begin with. The Barnes DanceI remember doing this dance across the downtown streets of Baltimore in the early 50's. As matter of fact Mom could be pulling me across Lexington Street in this photo. "Catty-cornered"This was the way my hometown traffic signals operated. People didn't wander aimlessly into intersections, however; there was always a tidy march either straight across the street or diagonally, which was called "catty-cornered." That's a term I haven't heard in years. [It's a colloquialism for "catercornered." - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
City Hall: 1965
San Francisco City Hall on March 14, 1965. I was with friends to take in the St. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 07/08/2019 - 10:17am -

San Francisco City Hall on March 14, 1965. I was with friends to take in the St. Patrick's Day Parade and we apparently tooled around beforehand, giving me an opportunity to take this Kodachrome slide with its smattering of cars, some of them already classics. Back in 1956, Chryslers of that year with their big, luscious tail lights had been among my favorites, and here we have two of them. Among the others, an old bathtub Lincoln, a later-model Thunderbird and a smidgen of a Corvair. If you want to park here now, forget it. Later on at the parade, I took this shot featuring another car, and also a governor. View full size. Turn Yourself LeftThe copper could have been signalling a move to the left. If so, the photo was exposed while the turn signal circuit turned the left tail light off, momentarily. Turn yourself inIt looks like the police car has a taillight blown out. I hope he surrendered his badge. That 1956 ChryslerIt's not just a Chrysler. It's a 300C. Two 1961 ChevysBack in the day when yearly changes made it easy to identify year, make, and model. Even with only a fraction of the vehicle showing! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Mme. Alda: 1909
... at the many world's fairs between 1893 (Chicago) and 1915 (San Francisco and San Diego). The San Diego Museum of Art has in its collection ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 11:43am -

"Alda relaxing at home." The soprano Frances Alda in 1909, a year before she married Metropolitan Opera manager Giulio Gatti-Casazza. She was said to have "a temper as red as her hair." George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Stunning KimonoThis appears to be ceremonial kimono, probably for a wedding. Oh, to have color! Very fashionable in this period but rarely so ornate (or nearly as expensive). Any experts out there who can tell us more? [Used as a dressing gown, it would be for ceremonial lounging. - Dave] Kyoto Silk KimonoThe beautifully embroidered peacock-in-a-garden kimono resembles Japanese wedding kimonos in its luxury, but was probably made specifically for export. During the late Meiji Period (1890s to 1912) much of this high-end embroidery, as well as silk tapestry panels with similar garden scenes, was made in Kyoto to supply the Western demand for beautiful "Oriental" textiles. Pictorial arrangements of exotic birds and flowers like that on Mme. Alda's kimono were derived by the Kyoto designers from 18th Century Chinese scroll paintings. Many of these robes and textiles were sold by Japanese importers at the many world's fairs between 1893 (Chicago) and 1915 (San Francisco and San Diego). The San Diego Museum of Art has in its collection a very similar "peacock" kimono that was presented in 1910 as a state gift to the wife of an American diplomat. Unlike Mme. Alda's kimono, which is of white satin, the SDMA example was embroidered on pink creped silk, and definitely was used by the diplomat's wife as an "At Home" lounging robe in social rituals such as receiving her female friends for afternoon tea. (The Gallery, Dogs, G.G. Bain, Portraits)
Cuban Cargo: 1904
Cuba circa 1904. "Muelle San Francisco, Havana." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... elevated tram line. It ran for 8 blocks over the Calle San Pedro. Below is a view from the other direction. I'd say the cases of Dietz ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/10/2013 - 11:40am -

Cuba circa 1904. "Muelle San Francisco, Havana." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What a wonderful placeThe only thing better than this picture would be having the opportunity to walk about the place. The fragrance of old canvas and burlap sacks almost comes through my monitor. One can only imagine the laughter, cussing, drinking and wheeling and dealing that had to have been part of the daily landscape. The Dietz Lanterns…wonder where they were going or coming from. Back in the day the company was a major supplier of railroad lanterns, crafting them to meet a given carriers specs. CooperageThe barrels in the center foreground, and the beyond ones behind the Dietz lanterns are powder kegs - recognizable by their wooden hoops. No metal parts to strike a spark. Their nails were copper, for the same reason. Further away, tight cooperage capable of holding liquids are seen, except for one lone "slack barrel" that can be seen between the stacks of sacks. Was the tight cooperage carrying spirits??? Elevated Tramway & Dietz LanternsAnother great photo! In the background, above the open-sided sheds you can see the Havana Electric Railway's elevated tram line. It ran for 8 blocks over the Calle San Pedro. Below is a view from the other direction. I'd say the cases of Dietz lanterns were being imported. By 1904 there was about 4,000 km of mainline railway in Cuba, mostly financed by North American interests. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Havana)
New 737: 1969
... flight from Orange County Airport (now John Wayne?) to San Francisco in March 1969 in the just-introduced Boeing 737. This airline is long ... 
 
Posted by Islander800 - 12/14/2012 - 8:20pm -

First generation 737 - Air California, Orange County, March 1969 I travelled an Air California flight from Orange County Airport (now John Wayne?) to San Francisco in March 1969 in the just-introduced Boeing 737. This airline is long gone, as is, I suspect, the skyline view from the boarding area where I took this shot. The 737 has proven to be a design success in over 40 years of refinement on the same airframe. Am I right in thinking the 737 was introduced before the 747? Love the paint scheme and engine configuration of this first-generation 737. View full size. Santa AnaYes, that is John Wayne airport, Santa Ana, back when it was still out in the sticks. I am an airline pilot and fly 737s in and out of SNA all the time. The airport is today completely enveloped by commercial development and requires a strict noise-abatement take-off procedure be performed to avoid a monetary fine. Worthy of note is that this airport was the first sanctioned drag strip in California, opening in 1950 using a runway as the drag strip. LIFE magazine did a feature on the "Santa Ana Drags" back in the mid-50s and the photos can be seen in the LIFE archive. Drag racing moved to Orange County International Raceway in the 1960s but it is long gone, replaced by said commercial development. 737 FirstIslander800 you are correct in your thinking. The 737 entered airline service in February 1968. The 747 entered commercial service in January 1970 (for PanAm of course). The paint job on the Air California 737 is a beauty. It reminds me of the Southern Pacific's Coast Daylight, particularly the steam locomotives for that train. I looked on Air Cal's Wikipedia page for some sort of connection between the two companies but its not there. Love that paint job!I flew Air Cal many times, along with PSA and Hughes Air West. These airlines are just part of history. I loved going to the OC airport, climbing to the second floor of the terminal and watching the arrivals and departures, free from security and related hassles. You could see the passengers boarding, the engines start and so on. My dad would take me down there to pick up a business colleague or friend. Later on, I would go on my own to hang out on the second story and watch arrivals and departures. I fondly remember PSA and their Lockheed Electra. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Elmhurst Depot: 1899
... This picture reminds me so much of the St.Louis and San Francisco (StlSF) depot in my hometown of Columbus, Kansas. The milk cans were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2018 - 1:41pm -

Elmhurst, Illinois, circa 1899. "Chicago & North Western Railway station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Wrong middle letterI'm thinking this is not the CNW station, which was a frame structure. Instead I believe it's the Chicago Great Western station (alternately the Chicago, Alton & Elgin), which was constructed of brick and was torn down sometime after 1960. (The CNW station survives, and is used by the Elgin parks department.) [Incorrect. Searching eBay for "elmhurst postcard" would be a super-easy way to check. Click to enlarge. - Dave] MemoriesThis picture reminds me so much of the St.Louis and San Francisco (StlSF) depot in my hometown of Columbus, Kansas. The milk cans were all on the freight platform ready to load when the train arrived plus any boxes or crates that needed shipped. In the spring, after the train had been, there might be crates of chicks cheeping that people had ordered from a supplier and other assorted boxes and crates that had been unloaded. With the steam, bell ringing, chuffing of the engine while it was in the station, and people debarking, It all seemed to be magic to me. Elmhurst Depot: 2019Having been a resident of Elmhurst recently, I was moved to visit once more after seeing the 1899 photo above.. I tried to approximate the same position where the original photograph was shot here, 120 years later: (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Thomas Circle: 1906
... Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas. Died in 1870 in San Francisco. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/08/2014 - 11:48am -

        Named for George Henry Thomas, Civil War general and, from his perch on the plinth, observer of countless traffic-circle fender-benders. Thomas Circle and Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C., circa 1906. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Just VisibleUp Vermont Avenue, to the right of the Church, is 1225. the original location for my military High School, St John's College. We used to close both ends of Vermont Avenue for drills. The building was gone by the summer of 1959 so the Hotel, seen in today's visit, could be built. Great times, dare I say, "Happy Days"? Still pointy after all these yearsAnd by all accounts, well preserved: View Larger Map George H. ThomasMajor General George H. Thomas was one of the best Union generals, but was disliked by Grant who saw the careful and thoughtful preparations of Thomas as slowness. Called "Old Pap" by his troops, unlike Grant, Thomas was loathe to repeatedly throw men at fortified defenses, but when in command on the battlefield he won the battle. In defeat he could personally triumph, as he did in his defense of the Union retreat at Chickamauga, and thereafter known as "The Rock of Chickamauga". In the 19th century the Big 4 of Union generals: Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas. Died in 1870 in San Francisco. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC)
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