8/16/12

Crater Bricks - For Michael

I've covered this city extensively and thought I'd never encounter another intriguing brick. On a recent drive around TGS with Andrew I spied this building from his car and excitedly gasped, Look at those bricks!

Andrew laughed.

Please. Look at these bricks with their exceptional design and range of soft color. Was some of that clay imported? Most likely it was treated before being fired. And why haven't I encountered these bricks any place else in STL?

If you're a long time visitor here you know I invent names for bricks and these present as crater.

  • The building still retains the original stained black mortar with tiny flecks of feldspar and quartz and - gratefully - has not been repointed. Look closely and you'll see that some of the mortar had to be finger tooled into the 'craters' of the bricks.

    The building counts as a Triple Arch Alert post.

    For Michael who told me a fascinating story yesterday about the old tunnel under Sublette Ave.

  • 8/9/12

    So long, Gen!

    Another light goes out in the neighborhood with friend Gen Obata and family moving to the NW.

    8/7/12

    1962 Bomb Shelter

    You know I sell vintage online via Etsy, right? I'm finally loading up my vintage catalogs and spotted this page on Pre-Fab Survival Shelters which were usually referred to as Bomb Shelters. Check out the trash can. Like who gets the job of hauling that out daily, little Chris? And how about those endorsements?

    8/1/12

    Tinged Buff Bricks

    The heat has prevented scouting but I managed to capture these outstanding orange tinged buff bricks while roaming TGS with Andrew on our reporting graffiti tour.

    Former Lustron Service Station

    Located on Roger Pl. in Tower Grove South.