noirish Los Angeles - Page 2850

ethereal_reality · #**56981** Posted **May 8, 2021, 3:58 PM**

.
mystery locations.

There is a group of photographs, taken in the 1950s, of vintage cars parked in various area of Los Angeles. I don't know if the photographer randomly drove around L.A. looking for these cars
or if he . . ummm. . .had some other means to locate the cars. Some of the photos include the make of the car, others do not.

(the photographs are being sold separately)

It would be overkill if I posted them all at once so here are the first two photographs.

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Rolls Royce - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

Faaan-ceeee!...I'm a bit surprised the Rolls is parked in a medium-income neighborhood.

.

ethereal_reality · #**56982** Posted **May 8, 2021, 4:11 PM**

.
This next one, in my opinion, is the most intriguing mystery location.

Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Mercedes - 1950s Los Angeles California

eBay

Here's a closer look at the old home on the hill.

detail

I'm not sure how that boat dock got there.

If we could only read the sign!

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Windsor - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

I don't know if "Windsor" is the make of the car or the location (Windsor Square comes to mind)

.

ethereal_reality · #**56983** Posted **May 8, 2021, 5:15 PM**

re: That damn elusive green building in the Robby Muller polaroid from 1984.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Does anyone know what these two building are?

originally posted by ethereal reality

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillinGlendaleCA

The building(s) on the right is the Broadway Plaza, the one of the left may be 651 Flower.

Thanks Bill

I thought perhaps it was these two building in the background of the polaroid.

GSV

Which might place the old green building somewhere around . . .errrr. . . .ummmm
I've lost interest because I think I'm wrong.

....I tried.

It was a shot in the dark.

.

Martin Pal · #**56984** Posted **May 8, 2021, 8:05 PM**

I still think the partial building on the left of the "green building"photo is a US Bank building logo. It's the only logo I've searched that fits that "ank" font:

BillinGlendaleCA · #**56985** Posted **May 8, 2021, 10:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

re: That damn elusive green building in the Robby Muller polaroid from 1984.

Thanks Bill

I thought perhaps it was these two building in the background of the polaroid.

GSV

Which might place the old green building somewhere around . . .errrr. . . .ummmm
I've lost interest because I think I'm wrong.

....I tried.

It was a shot in the dark.

P.S. The shorter building I circled is across from 651 Flower St.
.

Nope, the building you circled at the top of your Google Map is 444 Flower(aka: the Wells Fargo Building, LA Law building(from the TV show), 444 building...). It was built in 1980-81. I remember this because I went to a Beatlesfest at the Bonaventure in 1980 and they were building it at the time. I later worked in that building for a couple of years. Also you would have seen the ARCO Plaza buildings in the shot, since they were built in 1972.

Never mind, I was thinking 1974 for some reason. Yeah, the 444 building is in that skyline, pretty much right in the middle of the skyline.

Hollywood Graham · #**56986** Posted **May 9, 2021, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
This next one, in my opinion, is the most intriguing mystery location.

Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Mercedes - 1950s Los Angeles California

eBay

Here's a closer look at the old home on the hill.

detail

I'm not sure how that boat dock got there.

If we could only read the sign!

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Windsor - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

I don't know if "Windsor" is the make of the car or the location (Windsor Square comes to mind)

.

Ca. license plates show 1949 which is almost 50's. Many older cars were still daily drivers for people in the 40's and the 50's. I think Chrysler did have a Windsor if I remember correctly, I don't know if they had that model in 20-30's. I remember driving with my parents to my Grand Mothers house at 42nd and Denker from Silverlake and looking for old cars on the way (no freeway then).

Earl Boebert · #**56987** Posted **May 9, 2021, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

Ca. license plates show 1949 which is almost 50's. Many older cars were still daily drivers for people in the 40's and the 50's. I think Chrysler did have a Windsor if I remember correctly, I don't know if they had that model in 20-30's. I remember driving with my parents to my Grand Mothers house at 42nd and Denker from Silverlake and looking for old cars on the way (no freeway then).

I believe the vehicle is a 1928 or 1929 Marmon.

Cheers,

Earl

Snix · #**56988** Posted **May 10, 2021, 5:52 PM**

I agree that the logo looks similar to U.S. Bank, but they are not listed in the 1981 yellow pages and Wikipedia says they did not enter California until 1988.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I still think the partial building on the left of the "green building"photo is a US Bank building logo. It's the only logo I've searched that fits that "ank" font:

ethereal_reality · #**56989** Posted **May 10, 2021, 5:55 PM**

.
This original photograph was recently posted on eBay

mystery location.

"Orig Photo - 1910 Los Angeles Western Automobile Factory Shop Streetscene"

eBay

Does anyone recognize this street corner?

There appears to be a large empty lot behind the Western Auto building - with a tall tower/crane(?) on the far side.
I wonder if a large construction project is about to begin.

.

ethereal_reality · #**56990** Posted **May 10, 2021, 6:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I still think the partial building on the left of the "green building"photo is a US Bank building logo. It's the only logo I've searched that fits that "ank" font:

I also agree with your theory.

detail of this photograph

While I'm at it - here's the closest look possible of the black building.

. . .and here's the sign on the garage door.

If you step back from your computer and squint really hard you'll see that it says, SUCKERS!

ha ha.

ethereal_reality · #**56991** Posted **May 10, 2021, 6:43 PM**

.

Here's another one of those vintage car photographs that I recently spotted on eBay

This one includes the make of the car.

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Maxwell - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

This is also a mystery location.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

Ca. license plates show 1949 which is almost 50's. Many older cars were still daily drivers for people in the 40's and the 50's. I think Chrysler did have a Windsor if I remember correctly, I don't know if they had that model in 20-30's. I remember driving with my parents to my Grand Mothers house at 42nd and Denker from Silverlake and looking for old cars on the way (no freeway then).

Thanks for the information and sharing your memory with us, Hollywood Graham.

.

ethereal_reality · #**56992** Posted **May 10, 2021, 6:52 PM**

.
Speaking of Graham. . .

Here's one more car and mystery location photograph for today.

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Graham - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

I've never heard of a Graham until I happened upon this photograph.

.

HossC · #**56993** Posted **May 10, 2021, 9:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

This original photograph was recently posted on eBay

mystery location.

"Orig Photo - 1910 Los Angeles Western Automobile Factory Shop Streetscene"

eBay

Does anyone recognize this street corner?

There appears to be a large empty lot behind the Western Auto building - with a tall tower/crane(?) on the far side.
I wonder if a large construction project is about to begin.

USC have a couple of pictures of the Western Auto Wash. Here's a detail of one of them. Just out of this view is a street sign showing Western and San Marino, so this was the site located at 900 S Western Avenue. It looks like the 20c parking charge was waived for theatre patrons!

USC Digital Library

I thought that the little tower directly above the nearest corner belonged to the extant Sir Francis Drake Apartments at 841 S Serrano Avenue, but they were built in 1929 (BP is dated August 28th, 1928), but the Dick Whittington photo above is dated 1927.

stanklem · #**56994** Posted **May 11, 2021, 1:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I also agree with your theory.

detail of this photograph

While I'm at it - here's the closest look possible of the black building.

. . .and here's the sign on the garage door.

If you step back from your computer and squint really hard you'll see that it says, SUCKERS!

ha ha.

As an architect this is intriguing.
Did a Google search for US Bank locations in Los Angeles and drove the Googlemobile around several of their neighborhoods. Not all. Nothing.

Some thoughts. Just my two cents.

Notice the street sign. It implies drivers might believe there is head in parking available. Would such a sign be near downtown LA or other neighborhood where modern high-rise buildings exist?

There is no sign atop the brown or black building. My guess it is brown, a very popular color of spandrel glass and stone in the 1970s.

Thought it strange the USBank logo is off to the right at the top of the building. More appropriate locations would be to the left or center. Assuming it is a USBank logo and it does have the right font.

The tenant space to the left has a garage-type door but no curb cut. Thought this strange. Maybe I've been watching too many detective dramas. Could the street have been repaved some time?

Good luck.

Beginning to think this is not Los Angeles. Could it be Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood, or somewhere else.

odinthor · #**56995** Posted **May 11, 2021, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

[...]

detail of this photograph
[ ... ]

ha ha.

The font of Great American Bank looks promising:

LA Times, 1/3/1980

sadykadie2 · #**56996** Posted **May 11, 2021, 4:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I also agree with your theory.

detail of this photograph

While I'm at it - here's the closest look possible of the black building.

. . .and here's the sign on the garage door.

If you step back from your computer and squint really hard you'll see that it says, SUCKERS!

ha ha.

Hollywood Graham · #**56997** Posted **May 11, 2021, 4:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Speaking of Graham. . .

Here's one more car and mystery location photograph for today.

"Original B&W Photo - Vintage Car - Graham - 1950s Los Angeles California"

eBay

I've never heard of a Graham until I happened upon this photograph.

.

It is a 1940 or 41 Graham Hollywood (now you know where I get the Hollywood Graham name from). Last year for Graham because of WW2. They came back with Frazier after the war. Hollywoods were made from 1937 Cord dies, Hupmobile Skylarks also which Graham made for them. I have a 1941 Street Rod Graham Hollywood.

Martin Pal · #**56998** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snix

I agree that the logo looks similar to U.S. Bank, but they are not listed in the 1981 yellow pages and Wikipedia says they did not enter California until 1988.
_________________________________________________________________

Well, now, that throws a

into things!

Martin Pal · #**56999** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

. . .and here's the sign on the garage door.

If you step back from your computer and squint really hard you'll see that it says, SUCKERS!

ha ha.
_________________________________________________________________

LOL!

The top part of that sign says "No Parking".

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
mystery location, Los Angeles

Robby Muller, Polaroid 600 (1984)

annetgelink

.
_________________________________________________________________

The red & white sign with the arrow says: Parallel Parking Only.

If anyone wants to, you can buy a print of this for about $3,000!
https://www.artsy.net/artwork/robby-...-los-angeles-1

That link above let's you fool around with the sizing which is how I know what those signs say.

Martin Pal · #**57000** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:23 PM**

While we're obsessed with this thing, I might as well ask, what would that black line reaching to the top of the photo be? A pole? A wire? A clue?