Possible door handle from the Garden of Allah Hotel?

A photo of a door handle may seem an odd thing to post, but this one has a special story. Its owner sent it to me asking if I could verify it. He said that the man he bought it from was on the crew that tore down the Garden of Allah in 1959. The crewman wanted the whole front door, which he said was a giant heavy wooden door, but he couldn’t transport it so he settled for the handle. The guy who contacted me asked me if I had a photo of the Garden of Allah that showed the front door to see if it matched. I don’t, but I thought I’d post here in case it jogs the memory of someone reading this. Maybe someone has a photo in an old family album of the time when crazy Aunt Ruth came to Hollywood in the ‘30s, or maybe during the war and lived at the Garden of Allah while she tried to break into showbiz. Maybe she got a pal to take a photo of her standing out front, and maybe in the background is the front door of the Garden of Allah with a door handle just like this…?

If you have any information, I would love it if you could contact me.

Magarete says:

February 23, 2015 at 8:59 pm

Well, I don’t have info on this, unfortunately. But, it’s pretty amazing if that’s the case. Why, oh why, did they tear it down? Those cottages were beyond gorgeous. I can only daydream about how perfect life was living there.

Martin Turnbull says:

February 23, 2015 at 9:01 pm

Me too, Mahgarete – that’s why I’m writing these novels set at the Garden of Allah – it’s my way of making my daydreams come true…well, as true as they can, anyway…

Jeremy M Brown says:

September 16, 2015 at 3:42 pm

Very excited to find out more of this place. I met someone by accident who was a caretaker for a silver screen Hollywood composer and very in the know about old Hollywood, and he became sort of a spiritual guide. I never followed up on the location or history of the place until now. I was up Laurel Canyon roaming the ruins of Harry Houdini’s old estate in the early 90’s and the servants quarters were all that remained, that and some rusty lion cages and artificial caves and some homeless people who gave me a fright. I drove some of the homeless people to the McDonalds right where the Garden of Allah used to be for letting me look around in peace. I had no idea that was the spot. This place mystifies me, and I can’t believe it’s gone. I will be buying all these books!

Martin Turnbull says:

September 16, 2015 at 4:35 pm

Hi Jeremy, and thanks for sharing your story. The razing of the Garden of Allah Hotel was a huge loss to Los Angeles’ architecture…at least in my opinion. Part of what I’m trying to do with my books is bring the Garden of Allah to life again while reintroducing such a special place to a new generation of Angelenos and fans of golden-era Hollywood. Let me know what you think of my novels once you’ve read them!

mark says:

October 25, 2020 at 6:20 pm

Martin,
If you are wondering where Garden of Allah neon sign is??? I have it.

Martin Turnbull says:

October 25, 2020 at 9:01 pm

Yes, Mark I have wondered for years what happened to it. Where are you? Where is it? Which sign do you have? How did you come to own it? Do you have photos you can send???