Cliff House Project
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Interiors

There are very few photographs showing the interior of the 1896-1907 structure.

But why?  Cameras were in wide use at that period.  Interior photos were not uncommon.  So why so few photographs of a place visited by presidents and kings?  Was there a "No Photography" rule to boost postcard sales?  Whatever the reason, we know almost nothing about the interior beyond the blueprint labels.  So if anyone knows of other interior photographs, please step forward...

 


Mayor Phelan dinner party - May 20 1897

 

"PRES THEODORE ROOSEVELT BANQUET SETTING, MAY 13, 1903 - NOTE PORTRAIT THROUGH BUNTING"

From Marilyn Blaisdell's book

San Francisciana
Photographs of the Cliff House

 

John Hall, creator of the 3D model gives his analysis of the above photo as follows...

It was taken on the third floor porch, south side, outside the main dining room. The window on the left side of the jpg was covered for the photograph to keep the direct sun out of the camera. The window just to the right of the covered one was not covered and is the bright spot over the 'secret service men'. The bright window is facing west.
 

   


 

 


The Orchestrion
Two new presumed interior photographs, discovered by Fred Dahlinger


From a Welte catalog, 1919...  

 

Fred describes his research...

I noted the absence of Cliff House interior views, just one in the period prior to the 1907 fire. There is mention on your website of the 1905 addition of a Welte orchestrion to the Cliff House (see below), from the San Francisco Call newspaper. The price given, $10,000, is likely accurate, or close to the real expense. A Style 10 Welte Concert Orchestrion had a list price of $10,000 in the early 1910s.

This morning, I was reminded by the expert in all matters relevant to Welte orchestrions, Durward R. Center, that there's a view of the Welte instrument in the Cliff House Dining Room.

That set me on a search and I discovered a second view in an M. Welte & Sons, Inc. catalogue sent out in 1919. The firm's address on the catalogue was listed first in 1918, likely making it no earlier than 1917. Despite that date, the volume contains many vintage views of Welte installations dating back much earlier. Thus, I would offer that the attached view could be the 1905 Sutro Welte; and especially so if there's no mention of another Welte in the replacement structure. There are peculiarities in both the instrument case and the room decorative detailing that align the two images together. I have no reason to doubt the Welte identification as Sutro's, so this second image must also be the same installation.

As Durward told me, this is a very large Welte, perhaps from the largest class of such devices, Concert Orchestrions Nos. 8 to 10, playing the broadest of their rolls, the 120-hole. None in this category are known to exist today, the largest being a single No. 7 Concert Orchestrion in Romania. The largest in the USA are No. 6s and a No. 5; these all play the 75-hole rolls. The music from all of them is magnificent. The only instrument playing the largest Welte rolls, from a No. 10, is a pipe organ in England. Here is a link to see and hear it playing the 120-hole No. 10 Concert Orchestrion rolls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAcvwKhixEg; and then the larger 150-hole organ rolls.

There's an excellent video of Durward and that features his philosophy and his magnificent Style No. 5. I think you will enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZphjMcGeQQ Durward restored the Welte Concert Orchestrion for the Henry Clay Frick Mansion in Pittsburgh, PA and recently the smaller Welte Cottage Orchestrion for the Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor in Richmond, IN. He has done many others for private collectors.

Fred Dahlinger

 

Fred found this photograph based on this 1905 newspaper article
referencing a musical instrument called the Orchestrion...


San Francisco Call, Saturday, August 26, 1905
 

A still earlier reference...


The San Francisco Call - Sep 27 1903


Another very similar photo showing a close-up of the same area...


LYON & HEALY, CHICAGO, ILL.
Pneumatic Concert Orchestrions
With Perforated Paper Rolls
Wonderful Imitations of Orchestras Used with Great Success in
Restaurants, Cafes, Candy Kitchens, Etc.

Image from 1908 Lyon & Healy catalog loaned to Q. David Bowers and Arthur A. Reblitz by Kenneth Goldman.

 

Close-Up


The prior image may be reversed (difficult to tell).
Note:  the "Welte & Sons" logo in the above image proves it to be un-mirrored.

 


Possible placement in Cliff House
 

 

My conclusion is that both of the new photographs are likely of the 1896-1907 Cliff House, regardless of the mirroring:

  • The chairs match those in the original Roosevelt Banquet photo.
  • The period looks right.
  • It appears to generally fit into the blueprints, courtesy of John Hall's 3D model.
  • And possibly most important, the direct mention of the Orchestrion in the 1905 newspaper clipping.


 

So what became of the Orchestrion?  Fred Dahlinger provides further insight...


The big 1905 Welte apparently escaped the flames of September 7, 1907 per these stories...
 


Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel - 13 July 1907
 

"The $20,000 Welte Orchestrion that has been one of the attractions at the Cliff House in San Francisco, has been loaned by the management of that resort to the proprietors of the Casino at Santa Cruz, Cal. "

Music Trade Review, July 20, 1907, page 24

 

"The Casino still stands at Santa Cruz, but the company files have no reference to the large Welte.  There was a much smaller Welte unit in their skating rink, but it has also disappeared without a trace."  - Fred Dahlinger

 

Unfortunately this last story suggests the orchestrion was destroyed in 1908...


Oakland Tribune - Jul 5, 1908

 

 

Not directly related, but one further reference to musical instruments at the Cliff House...


Music Trade Review - July 20 1907, page 24

 


San Francisco Call - 27 Sept 1903

 

 

 


Interior photo - San Francisco Call, May 16 1901
 

For full article, including balcony photos: article.pdf
 

 


Newspaper illustration showing the interior
San Francisco Examiner - Sep 2 1897  (pdf)
You can hear the ragtime number "My Gal's a High Born Lady" in this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ja-1SIsCr8

 


The San Francisco Examiner - Sep 13 1899
Illustration of the Cliff House interior

 



San Francisco Chronicle - Feb 2 1896
This sketch likely shows the main dining room, third floor


Rendering by Kurt Bainum
 



 

One non-photographic clue to the interior involves possible murals painted by an artist named Gustav Ferdenano Dietz.  Read more here.

 


Reference Photographs

The following photographs are interior views of the Cliff House from other periods...

 

 

Later Cliff House


Marilyn Blaisdell copy negative, showing the later 1909 structure
 

 


From Marilyn Blaisdell's book, taken in Dec 8,1916.
The dancer is Irene Lacour, also known as Ingebor Lacour and Ingeborg Lacour-Torrup  (ID thanks to John Martini)
Note circled ornamentation in background, also visible on the previous photo.