Oakland Underfoot

1607 52nd Avenue

J. H. Colgrove took Deco to the limit, using a decorative font in which the “7” character was close to what other fonts would use for a “1.” But I have examples with a “1” in them, and that numeral is a straight unadorned stroke.

5247 Wentworth Avenue

Riechel & Bredhoff marks have two configurations. This is what I call the tight arch, in which the maker’s name curves right up against the racetrack outline. In the easy arch, the maker’s name makes a straighter arc. The tight arch appears throughout the range of dates I have, from 1921 to 1951. The easy arch appears in 1924, 1929 through 1933, and 1940 so far. I need to pay closer attention to these. This particular mark appears next door to an easy-arch mark from the same year, both of them from October.

1502 52nd Avenue

1850 51st Avenue

I have another example from this year, but it’s stacked instead of all on one line, like this.

3416 Victor Avenue

4146 Norton Avenue

Right across the street from the mark I put up yesterday is this most atypical example of Buel’s work. Maybe an assistant did it, not attempting Buel’s style and even misspelling his name.

4087 Norton Avenue

I found another 1939 example of Ensor Buel’s ebullient mark up in the Broadway Terrace hills two years ago, but that was on the cracked driveway of an empty firestorm lot and it may be erased by now. This one’s more secure.