noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

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Here's something different.


Is anyone familiar with Princess ZUMA of Venice Pier?..(1910s? - 1920s?)


Original RPPC / found on eBay

I don't believe I have ever heard of her.
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[Johnny Socko]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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THANKS for all the follow-ups on the mystery PIPE do-hicky near Manual Arts High School.


This.












Here's an 1925 aerial of Manual Arts High School.



tessa/lapl

But for the life of me I can't find the street with the mystery pipes. (unless it's small enough to be hidden by two-story buildings)


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I've marked the street or accessway where I believe the pipeline photo was taken. The photographer would've been just past the telephone pole that can be faintly seen to the left of my arrow, and aiming back down toward the school.

[stanklem]

The photograph is from thirty to forty feet above grade and shows the top of cables strung from light pole to light pole on the left side of the street. The cables are supported by a catenary cable.

Look at the trees and see the shadows indicating the sun to be on the left of the photograph. There are no shadows from the 'pipe' and supports when, if only a few feet above the road, there should be.

[odinthor]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Here's something different.


Is anyone familiar with Princess ZUMA of Venice Pier?..(1910s? - 1920s?)


Originally found on eBay

I don't believe I have ever heard of her.
.

e_r, I find nothing further on Princess Zuma, except another eBay postcard:


currently on eBay

I think she's trying to vamp us.

[rdburnett]

Originally Posted by Lorendoc

This was a fun one.

The intersection is Whittier Boulevard and Broadway in Whittier.

I found a Burnett's Service station in the 1960s Los Angeles CDs at 800 W Manchester, corner Hoover. But...

Looking closely at e_r's enlargement, there is a sign for a realtor named H. Frederick Les?? - the full name obscured by a post; there appears to be a street number (1727 W.) on the sign as well. Looking for H. Fred in the LA CDs was not helpful. But a search in the LAT found an H. Frederick Lesh in the realty business in Whittier. I then looked at the 1952 Whittier CD and found Burnett's Service Station at 1741 Whittier Blvd. and Lesh Real Estate at 1727 Whittier Blvd.

When I looked for these addresses in GSV, it kept showing me locations in Montebello. Could the streets in Whittier have been renumbered? Indeed they were in 1966, and 1741 Whittier became 11403 Whittier and 1727 became 11435.

Thanks for sharing this- you sleuthed it correctly- i know because this was my grandparents service station - John and Mildred Burnett who immigrated to Whittier from Arkansas in the late 1930s and owned the station into the 1970s when it was a Chevron station. That photo used to hang on the wall of my grandparents home- and i had not seen it in decades.

[ethereal_reality]

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This fantastic amateur snapshot was listed a few days ago on eBay



Seller's description:..."Rare Antique American Universal City Cafe Curley Robinson's Store Snapshot Photo."



eBay




Shall we take a closer look?

....Ok, let's!



I believe the smaller building on the left is the studio's post office. Judging by the shadows (and lack of people) I'd say the photo was taken in the early morning. The automobile is no doubt the tourists' car
and the woman posing by the cafe's door is perhaps his wife(?).



The seller also included this ad from 1933.



So. . .who is this Curley Robinson person? Obviously he was important enough to the studio to warrent a retail space on the lot.


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[Earl Boebert]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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<snip>

So. . .who is this Curley Robinson person? Obviously he was important enough to the studio to warrent a retail space on the lot.


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A few news stories pop up about Samuel "Curley" Robinson on newspapers.com. He was evidently a small-time gangster who specialized in pinball and slot machines. He had the curio shop concession for Universal and allegedly (as we say now, but they didn't then) ran slots in that store.



Cheers,

Earl

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Earl Boebert

A few news stories pop up about Samuel "Curley" Robinson on newspapers.com. He was evidently a small-time gangster who specialized in pinball and slot machines.
He had the curio shop concession for Universal and allegedly (as we say now, but they didn't then) ran slots in that store.



Cheers,

Earl

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Very interesting, Earl. Thanks so much.

Do you mind if I ask where you found the information? I'd love to learn more about Curley's 'noirish' connections.



...P.S....To be honest, I thought Mr. Robinson was probably a silent film actor.

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[ethereal_reality]

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Here's a mystery snapshot that I'm afraid is unsolvable. . .


eBay

. .but I decided to post it anyway because it's bugging the hell outta me!


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[Earl Boebert]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Very interesting, Earl. Thanks so much.

Do you mind if I ask where you found the information? I'd love to learn more about Curley's 'noirish' connections.



...P.S....To be honest, I thought Mr. Robinson was probably a silent film actor.

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Newspapers.com. Searched on "Curley Robinson" between 1920 and 1970.

Cheers,

Earl

[ethereal_reality]

.
Another mystery location recently found on eBay.

I think this photograph is simply amazingly.

Seller's description:.."Pool Hall w Billiard Tables - 1908 Los Angeles Vintage Cabinet Card / Photo"


eBay (no longer listed)

Thankfully there is writing on the back.



Everything but THE NAME of the pool hall.








Here's the photo sans border.






And details. . .














I've looked and looked for clues to no avail. I was hoping there would be a calendar from a local business or some such thing.



for search purposes: Taken Thursday, May 21, 1908. Los Angeles, California.

[odinthor]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Another mystery location recently found on eBay.

I think this photograph is simply amazingly.

Seller's description:.."Pool Hall w Billiard Tables - 1908 Los Angeles Vintage Cabinet Card / Photo"


eBay (no longer listed)

[...]

OK, architects: What's going on in the upper rear? It looks like the pool hall space is closed off underneath the rear balcony for a shoebox movie theater, the angled part to accommodate the steps up to the balcony.

Note the painted-out windows on the right, and the door. I'd guess that the pool hall space was originally intended as storage space in back for whatever's going on in the front of the building.

Yes, I know:

[UphillDonkey]

Originally Posted by odinthor

OK, architects: What's going on in the upper rear? It looks like the pool hall space is closed off underneath the rear balcony for a shoebox movie theater, the angled part to accommodate the steps up to the balcony.

Note the painted-out windows on the right, and the door. I'd guess that the pool hall space was originally intended as storage space in back for whatever's going on in the front of the building.

Yes, I know:

Looks like a lean-to addition with a lower ceiling on the back of an existing building.

[AlvaroLegido]

[QUOTE=ethereal_reality;9988855].
Another mystery location recently found on eBay.

I think this photograph is simply amazingly.

Seller's description:.."Pool Hall w Billiard Tables - 1908 Los Angeles Vintage Cabinet Card / Photo"


eBay (no longer listed)

/QUOTE]
The guy on the left and the guy on the right look ahead of their time.

[stanklem]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Another mystery location recently found on eBay.

I think this photograph is simply amazingly.

Seller's description:.."Pool Hall w Billiard Tables - 1908 Los Angeles Vintage Cabinet Card / Photo"


eBay (no longer listed)

Thankfully there is writing on the back.



Everything but THE NAME of the pool hall.








Here's the photo sans border.






And details. . .














I've looked and looked for clues to no avail. I was hoping there would be a calendar from a local business or some such thing.



for search purposes: Taken Thursday, May 21, 1908. Los Angeles, California.

On the left rear wall is a poster that might read RED RAVEN and at the bottom SAPOLIC (?). At the right rear corner behind the door is a barely legible poster. They might provide clues. The open door might lead to the toilet.

The shed roof does imply an addition. On the left wall you can see the chair rail end where the sloped roof begins.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by odinthor

OK, architects: What's going on in the upper rear? It looks like the pool hall space is closed off underneath the rear balcony for a shoebox movie theater, the angled part to accommodate the steps up to the balcony.

Good eye, odinthor.... I'm especially intrigued by the curved area that. .um. .slopes downwalk. ... And unless I am mistaken there are thin openings /slats which have me baffled.*...(to see into the pool room?)



If I remember correctly some of the old Plat Maps show that a few of the old nickelodions & shoebox theaters were indeed turned into pool rooms. (but my memory is hazy, at best)


*OOPS I'm wrong about the 'slats'. They're not openings at all. They're beads on a wire -only further away. I should have noticed them earlier.



They're for counting scores, right?



PART 2

THANKS for pointing out the sign, stanklem...I appreciate it.


detail

Since the 'Sapolio sign says, "Every dog have his day", -and this being a pool hall- I initially thought 'Sapolio' might have been dog racing track in Tiajuana.

WRONG.

It turns 'Sapolio' was a brand of soap.


ebay

The makers of the soap, Enoch Sons Co., was out of NYC.


wikipedia (I haven't found a West Coast Division)





I found the word 'Sapolio' only once in the city directories. (1887)


LAPL

And it was an advertisement for a store in but in San Francisco. (not Los Angeles)





PART 3


I had NO clue about Red Raven so I decided to start with the city directories and found this. . . .


LAPL

Intriguing. .but I doubt it has anything to do with the pool room sign.




The sign probably refer to 'Red Raven Splits', an aperient water. (laxative)


ebay




ebay


. .which was out of Pennsylvania. (see label below)


I could have used some of this last week. : -l


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[ethereal_reality]

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File this under: Recently listed on eBay.


Seller's description:.."Photograph Peebles Institure of Science & Philosophy Los Angeles James M Peebles."


eBay

I wish it were clearer.



I'll try it a bit larger but I'm afraid it's going to be even blurrier.



It is!

I used the search feature and there were no past posts that have included the word "Peebles". ..I was surprised because the house is vaguely familiar to me.

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[Earl Boebert]

According to 1915 ad, Peebles College was at 1627 West Pico. Specialized in Spirituality, Christian Yoga and so forth. Dr. J.M. Peebles (presumably by his own account) wrote for 32 magazines monthly at age 93, had written more books on the occult than any other living man, and had travelled around the world 5 times.

Cheers,

Earl

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Earl Boebert

According to 1915 ad, Peebles College was at 1627 West Pico. Specialized in Spirituality, Christian Yoga and so forth. Dr. J.M. Peebles (presumably by his own account) wrote for 32 magazines monthly at age 93, had written more books on the occult than any other living man, and had travelled around the world 5 times.

Cheers,

Earl

The 1915 CD has the Peebles College of Science and Philosophy at 218 West Pico.

[JimCraig]

The sign probably refer to 'Red Raven Splits', an Aperient Water. ( Laxative)


ebay



I like that motto: For High Livers' Livers."