Elsewhere on my website, there is a page on which I have a collection of views of the Richfield Tower during the all-too-brief time it stood at 555 South Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles from 1929 to 1969. You can see that collection here: http://bit.ly/RichfieldBuilding
I suppose it was for this reason that I was recently contacted by someone who said that he had the entry plaque into the Richfield Tower building and would I like to see a photo of it? WOULD I EVER?!?! So he sent me this photo and said: “This came to me from a friend of many years. It was given to the foreman of the demolition crew when the demo started in 1967. He had it set in the entry way of his home. After his passing, it was removed and given to my friend and now to me.”
The words “ERECTED 1929” is surrounded by eight discs. Richfield was an oil company (now part of ARCO) so I’m guessing these eight discs represent fields of endeavor in which oil has played a central role. They are: oil wells, airplanes, skyscrapers, small boats, trains, ships, factories, and automobiles. I’m not sure why sea craft are there twice, unless the “small boats” is something else. I am SO glad that someone thought to save something from the jewel in the crown of Los Angeles architecture aside from the two bronze doors.
Losing the Richfield Building was a tragedy. Along with City Hall, it dominated LA’s skyline and defined downtown LA for me. Although it would be dwarfed by taller buildings today, it would be far more beautiful.
It might be dwarfed by other buildings but at least it’d still be there!
This is great to see! I would speculate that the small boat on the disk refers to racing. That still results in a sort of duplication though, as the car seems to also be about racing.
– Mike (ProphetM on Noirish LA)
Yes, Mike, it IS great to see, isn’t it? I’m SO glad someone thought to save it. But the doubling up of sea craft seems odd, but I suppose there was a reason.
Beyond tragic the demolition crews were only ones to appreciate such artistry. Imagine how much more could have been saved with just a little effort –
It really is a crying shame what happened. A couple of the doors were saved, and some of the ceramic soldiers. And now the plaque. So that’s three things, but it could have/should have been so much more. Like the whole building!
In addition to the elevator doors on display at the original site, some upper level elevator doors were also saved, and turned into screens by the lucky owner. He posted them on Facebook last year: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StreamlineModerneLA/permalink/2750914785188935/
OMG, those are gorgeous! Of course they are – they were at the Richfield!
How could anyone think of destroying such “objet d’art”? Aside from the beauty, nickel plated steel would last for centuries.
Reminds me of the carved lacquered panels from the Normandie’s first class smoking lounge staircase. When appeared for sale 40 years ago would have snapped ’em up in a heartbeat…with an unlimited walet –
https://www.beyondships.com/images/5_normandie_tab_panel.jpg
OMG, Matt! Those panels!
I was hoping someone can tell me about the photograph, next to the plaque. I have the exact photo. Nicely framed. No glass. If you have any information about it, I’d be thankful.