Category Archives: Architecture

Coming Soon — Los Angeles Plays Itself

Posted on September 1, 2010 by lmharnisch

“Los Angeles Plays Itself” will be shown will be shown Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave. at 14th Street in Santa Monica. Director Thom Andersen will be speaking about the film after Sunday's … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Coming Soon — Los Angeles Plays Itself

Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Posted on August 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

This Batchelder tile of a peacock at left has been listed on EBay. Interestingly enough, it’s a different design than these two at the right, which were listed earlier.  Bidding on the tile at left starts at $100.  As with … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Paul Coates and Matt Weinstock, Aug. 13, 1960

Posted on August 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

Aug. 13, 1960: Paul Coates gets a letter from Parkey Sharkey, who is looking for money to publish his book.  Architect Henry Drefuss has designed a $1,000 newsstand to go with his new California Bank Building at 6th and Spring, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists, Caryl Chessman, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul Coates and Matt Weinstock, Aug. 13, 1960

Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Posted on August 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

Two remarkably detailed pieces of Batchelder tile, both in frames, have been listed on EBay. Bidding on the first piece, at left, starts at $1,800. Bidding on the second piece, above, starts at $1,350. As with all listings on EBay, … Continue reading →

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Found on EBay – Mason Opera House

Posted on July 31, 2010 by lmharnisch

A nice postcard of the Mason Opera House (now the site of a huge, vacant pit on Broadway between 1st and 2nd streets) has been listed on EBay. The Mason Opera House/Operahouse was one of the leading theaters in Los … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Photography | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – One More Scoop

Posted on July 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

A 9-foot neon sign from C.C. Brown’s ice cream parlor, a  Hollywood landmark that closed in 1996, has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $5,000.

Posted in Architecture, Food and Drink | Comments Off on Found on EBay – One More Scoop

Times Bombing Revisited

Posted on June 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Unless you have lived in Los Angeles quite a while, you probably only remember the northeast corner of 1st and Broadway as a deserted moonscape where a state building was once located. I’ve spent some time combining an 1890 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, Architecture, Downtown | 2 Comments

Found on EBay – 417 E. 41st St.

Posted on June 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

A postcard mailed in 1907 showing the house at 417 E. 41st St. has been listed on EBay. According to Google maps, the house is gone but most of the neighborhood remains. Bidding starts at $4.

Posted in Architecture | Comments Off on Found on EBay – 417 E. 41st St.

Architect Submits Plan for New City Hall

Posted on June 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 11, 1910: If this building looks unfamiliar it’s because it never left the drawing board. This is a proposal by Lyman Farwell for a new City Hall to be built on the Temple Block at Spring and Main … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists, City Hall | Comments Off on Architect Submits Plan for New City Hall

Found on EBay – Chester Place

Posted on June 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

Another postcard of Chester Place, near Adams and Figueroa, has been listed on EBay. Other postcards of the wealthy neighborhood have turned on EBay but this is the first time I have seen this one. Bidding starts at $10.

Posted in Architecture, Photography | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Chester Place

Death of a Mad Dog

Posted on June 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

  The dealer says this Arts and Crafts furniture will last for a century, June 8, 1910: A Wyoming rancher tracks down and kills a wolf nicknamed “One Toe,” a notorious killer of cattle that was too wary for traps … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, art and artists, LAPD | 1 Comment

Man Saves Life by Killing Runaway Horse

Posted on May 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Arlington Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. via Google maps’ street view. May 22, 1910: In a century-old version of “flipping,” a developer says speculators can make money on lots in Arlington Square, at Santa Barbara Avenue (Martin … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture | Comments Off on Man Saves Life by Killing Runaway Horse

Found on EBay – Batchelder Vase

Posted on May 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

This Batchelder vase has been listed on EBay. The tile turns up fairly often but this is only the second vase I recall seeing – a previous item was listed in March but didn’t sell. Bidding on this vase starts … Continue reading →

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Riot by Valparaiso University Students Terrorizes Town

Posted on May 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Prices start at $1,750 [$39,792.93 USD 2009]. Van Ness Avenue and 5th Street, in Van Ness Avenue Square, via Google maps.   May 19, 1910: Hundreds of students at Valparaiso University rampage through the city, brawling with citizens armed … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Education | Comments Off on Riot by Valparaiso University Students Terrorizes Town

Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Posted on April 27, 2010 by lmharnisch

This Batchelder tile of a cockatoo has been listed on EBay. Although I’ve listed other Batchelder tiles of animals (which featured a rabbit, a deer, a lion and birds), this doesn’t seem to be part of that series.  Bidding starts … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Found on EBay – Sawtelle

Posted on April 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

These early 20th century postcards showing Sawtelle, an area of Los Angeles west of the San Diego Freeway and bisected by the Santa Monica Freeway, have been listed on EBay. The top image shows two streetcars on Oregon Avenue and … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Transportation | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Sawtelle

Found on EBay – Central Park

Posted on April 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

Someone recently asked me when “L.A.” became a common term for Los Angeles. I said I didn’t know and was reluctant to speculate because at the Daily Mirror, we don’t guess, we look things up. This postcard of Central Park … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Parks and Recreation | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Central Park

Found on EBay – Catalina Tile

Posted on April 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

This Catalina tile table has been listed on EBay. According to the vendor, it was sold on Santa Catalina Island in 1950. Bidding starts at $1,150 with a Buy It Now price of $1,300. As with everything on EBay, items … Continue reading →

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Found on EBay – Batchelder Vase

Posted on March 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

What appears to be a vase by E.A. Batchelder of Pasadena has been listed on EBay. Batchelder tile turns up somewhat often, but I don’t recall seeing anything this finely made. Bidding starts at $145, or Buy It Now at … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Batchelder Vase

Dodgers Giving Up on Stadium for ’61 Season

Posted on March 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

  March 20, 1960: The Dodgers were giving up hope they would open the 1961 season in their new Chavez Ravine stadium. Walter O'Malley complained to The Times' sports editor, Paul Zimmerman, about the "little delays" that kept construction from … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dodgers, Downtown | 1 Comment