Oakland Underfoot

24 Blair Avenue, Piedmont

After all these years I’m still finding new names underfoot. Adolph Dinelli lived in Berkeley, and three men with his surname, Charles (cement finisher), Frank (laborer), and Tony, were listed in the 1941 directory.

Dinelli was born in Italy in the early 1870s, emigrated to America in 1894 and died in February 1947, so this mark was made after his death. Oddly, a son named Charles died in 1923 at the age of 17. Perhaps the Charles listed in the 1941 directory was a nephew.

1452 104th Avenue

A much better strike than the previous one I documented.

9221 D Street

By this late in his career, J. Widell’s hand-drawn script was looking old-fashioned.

9703 Sunnyside Street

I love this mark, which comes 10 years after the latest actual stamp the Jepsen Brothers used and 7 years after leaving a hand-drawn mark elsewhere. I have to think that the brothers were retired by this point, having started the business in 1911. Maybe they lived nearby.

1321 93rd Avenue

I’ve found this year elsewhere, but the date was so dim you had to trust me.

948 86th Avenue

2804 Oliver Street

The first mark establishes the date. The second is on the other edge of the job and includes the name Moniz, presumably Arthur Moniz.