3798 Harrison Street
Ambo Concrete was an outfit run by Sam Sposeto, who may have been related to Angelo Sposeto. I have Ambo marks from two dates, 1976 and 1979. This mark could be any age. I assume W. S. Wayne worked for Ambo.
Ambo Concrete
11 June 20221933 – Riechel & Bredhoff
26 May 2022
404 Vernon Street
Now I have a high-arch and a low-arch mark from this year.
This house is quite something.
Heating & Lighting Company
20 May 2022
2nd Street at Castro Street
This is a mystery access cover. The site is where Oakland’s original gas works was located, back in the 1800s. As I understand it, they manufactured gas by roasting coal in those days. “H & L Co” stands for “heating and lighting company,” but I expected this to have an “O” for Oakland, like the later Oakland Gas, Light and Heat Company.
The other odd bit about this lid is its scallop design, attested in only one other place, the ancient Sunset Telephone & Telegraph Company lid on 6th Street.
1904 – G. W. Werner
11 May 2022
3047 Tremont Street, Berkeley
A rare date and a rare maker, at least in Oakland.
Cook’s Oil Company
17 April 2022
312 Adams Street
Cook’s Oil Company, founded by Fred R. Cook, is listed in the city directories from 1922 into the 1940s. In 1924 its headquarters had moved from 1333 Market Street to 1350 Powell Street, presumably in Emeryville. As of 1938 its main office was at 2111 San Pablo Avenue. The Tribune records that they fielded a baseball team in the Golden Grains Cereal League in 1938.
1928 – J. M. Ruiz
17 April 2022
330 Vernon Avenue
Sorensen Bros & Williams
26 March 2022
59th and MacCall Streets
Thanks to Ken for spotting the pair of marks on this corner, which explains why the Williams and old Sorensen Bros stamps look the way they do. The partnership must have operated around 1910 because the Sorensen Bros stamp, made after the pair broke up, is from 1914.
Oakland Underfoot 