“San Francisco’s Chinatown. Keystone thoroughfare of interesting and colorful oriental activity in San Francisco is famous Grant Avenue – many quaint bazaars and shops, cafes and nightclubs offer a picturesque and romantic contrast between eastern and western hemisphere customs. The annual parade of the Buddah Lion, Joss-house ceremonies, banquets and paper lantern festivals herald the Chinese New Year here in an Asiatic atmosphere of universal appeal to visitors.”
In the bottom left corner we can see part of the sign for the New Lincoln Hotel. Just next to this is the sign showing Sing Fat Co. Across the street, on the same side, we see the Sing Chong Co. with the words Chinese Bazaar on the building. In looking for the approximate date of this postcard I came across almost the exact photograph online at NYPL (New York Public Library) Digital Gallery, however there is no date given. There is a very interesting thing about the other photo, though: The architectural scroll that we see here in the foreground, is missing. Evidently the photographer or company that produced it, must have felt that the scroll detracted from the scene. In looking at the NYPL digital image below, you’ll notice the blue tinge to the area that was altered, and it looks like the street car tracks were put back in. The photo that the postcard was printed from and the one on the NYPL website were probably taken on the same day, but definitely at different intervals; the people in the photos are different, for one thing. The car that is parked at the corner (with it’s nose going uphill) is a major clue to the date of the two photos: It is believed to be a 1927 Nash 239 Special Six Sedan. The year 1927 also comes up for another postcard (found online regarding a different subject) that indicated the same printer and publisher info as on the postcard image on top…. Below is the NYPL image for comparison.
Divided back, unused postcard. Bardell Hi-Gloss Print. Published for Scenic View Card Co., San Francisco, California. Date: circa 1927.
Price of postcard – shown as front and back images at top: $10.00.
See source below for any inquiries regarding the digital image at NYPL.
Source: The New York Public Library, NYPL Digital Collections. Image 1640819. “View of San Francisco’s Chinatown.” [http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-763e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99]