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June 8, 2019 by tomdalzell

Painted Ladies #3

2043 Lincoln

2043 Lincoln

I look at this house and smile.  I imagine the people living there.  I imagine that they are intelligent and compassionate, with exquisite if simple taste that reflects solid Berkeley values.  Is that reading too much into a beautiful painted lady?  I doubt it.

After a first and second post on Berkeley’s painted ladies, I am back with a third.  I have relaxed my use of the word “Victorian” to describe the architecture, happy instead to focus on colorfully painted houses, especially Victorians.

This is not a scholarly examination of architecture and I am not competing with the expertise of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association – I am simply presenting photos of pretty things that I have seen in my walks around Berkeley.

I am not a stickler about styles.  I like houses with polychrome decoration that embellishes or enhances architectural details.  I like frilly architectural details.

No more talk – more photos please.

808 Allston

To be continued – one suspects.

812 Allston

Two lovely houses waiting for colors.  I think that they will come.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. is seen on December 27th, 2018.

814 Addison

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. is seen on December 27th, 2018.

814 Addison

1019 Allston

1019 Allston

1414 Milvia

1414 Milvia

141 Milvia

1421 Milvia

1425 Milvia

1425 Milvia

1434 Milvia

1434 Milvia

1334 Sixth

1334 Sixth

Quirky Berkeley 12-27-2018

1434 Sixth

1437-1439 Addison

1437-1439 Addison

1821 Sixth

1821 Sixth

1646 Addison.

1646 Addison.

1610 Sixth

1610 Sixth

1600 Milvia

1600 Milvia

1541 Milvia

1541 Milvia

1841 Addison

1841 Addison

The elephants painted on the front of the house are a relic of two owners ago – Jeffrey Masson, author of When Elephants Weep.

1823 Addison

1823 Addison

1823 Addison

1823 Addison

 

2013 Lincoln

2013 Lincoln

1941 Vine

1941 Vine

2101 Sixth

2101 Sixth

2107 Sixth

2107 Sixth

2110 Sixth

2110 Sixth

2112 Sixth

2112 Sixth

2113 Sixth

2113 Sixth

2113 Sixth

2113 Sixth

I think that this is aqua, no?  Or is it cyan?  In the additive color system, or RGB (additive) color model, used to create all the colors on a computer or television display, cyan is made by mixing equal amounts of green and blue light.

2117 Sixth

2117 Sixth

2117 Sixth

2117 Sixth

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. is seen on December 27th, 2018.

2313 Sixth

2321 Sixth

2321 Sixth

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. is seen on December 27th, 2018.

2329 Sixth

As I finished my friend came and sat down in my work room.  He handed me a couple of photos.

1961 Parade

He explains “A Berkeley parade in 1961.  It was a different city, wasn’t it?  Still Athens of the West. The Big Changes still a few years away.  Hard to imagine.  What do you think these painted ladies looked like then?”

I see his point.  “That’s a thought.  I guess that there weren’t a lot tarted up like many of these.  I’m guessing monochromatic.”

After this conjecture, I get back to our central question.  What does he think of this third installment of painted ladies?

Quirky Berkeley 05-12-16

 

 

 

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One Response to Painted Ladies #3

  1. Amy Prentiss says:
    June 17, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    I’m new to your blog and love it. Thank you. In the mid 1980s, I began to notice beautiful multi- colored painted houses around lowere Derby Street And Telegraph Ave. I took snap shots I was so impressed. However, why I’m writing is to say that the house painting company sign often said, by “Karl Kardel.” Karl had a great sense of color. Do you happen to know if he’s still in business in Berkeley?

    Reply

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