Oakland Underfoot

111 Requa Road, Piedmont

The Reichel & Bredhoff firm left dates from 1921 to 1951, but I’m still missing a half-dozen years. So it was a pleasure to spot this one recently.

Over the last month or so I’ve run across a few marks I missed or dismissed during the big survey.

1920 – F & R Farrer

3070 Champion Street

The date is barely a whisper; at least it’s some time in the 1920s. The 1922 directory lists three Farrers — Robert, Fred and Arthur — as concrete workers, all at 7305 E. 14th Street, so this must be Fred and Robert’s outfit. They’re clearly related in some fashion to Farrer & Sons, attested with a mark from 1926. The evidence is scant.

1935 – M. Bua

4051 Suter Street

Again, the date may be a hallucination, but that’s what I decided when looking at in person. I wouldn’t bother with such a poor mark except that it’s only the second example by Michael Bua, who’s listed in the 1930 directory as a general contractor at 237 Bacon Building.

1939 – W. M. Sharp

1452 Lakeshore Avenue

This is a clearer example of the year than the one I had before, which I decided was really from 1938.

9990 Holly Street

2655 74th Avenue

2941 75th Avenue

As I interpret this mark, Rasmussen went to stamp his job and found that the concrete had set too hard, so he slapped a little fresh cement on it and did what he could, creating a rare raised stamp.

1199 82nd Avenue

This fine strike is a big improvement on my previous example, which also is cracked.

3500 66th Avenue

First of three by this maker.