Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
San Francisco, 1927. "Traffic signals -- police officer stops pedestrian crossing against the light in front of Hudson sedan at Bee Garage service station." 8x10 film negative, originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size.
You'll never get the opportunity again. Blow that horn!
But I am a huge Shorpy fan. I check the site almost every day and always enjoy the beautiful photos that are provided for our viewing pleasure. I very rarely notice the Shorpy logo, in fact I had to look hard to find it on this photo. It doesn't bother me a bit. A big thanks to the Shorpy crew for all they do to make my day better.
Could this be an early version of Mayberry? Deputy Barney Fife helps his sweetheart Thelma Lou across the street, while Goober in his white uniform stands before Aunt Bee's Garage.
Boy oh boy, nothing like using an absolutely spanking brand new automobile for this shot. the front end and steering linkage all have a nice gloss to them.
It appears the license plates changed formats between 1926 and 1927. (Comparing the Diana 8 to the Hudson.) Looking back at some other pictures did they change format every year?
These large format glass plate photos are amazing in their clarity and resolution. Can we say that any digital camera today matches this quality of reproduction?
[This photo was, as noted in the caption, shot on film, not glass. I can say from my experience scanning many examples of both that the quality here is not quite as good as it would be had the image been captured on glass. As for digital cameras -- yes, but they are large and very expensive. - Dave]
Wings repaired while you wait, Stingers recharged!
But the young lady crossing the street looks a lot like William Randolph Hearst's favorite movie star, Marion Davies. Her height, sense of style and radiant smile all are very similar to Miss Davies' very well-known look in 1927.
I love the look on the cop and lady's faces. "I'll pretend to stop you from being run over and you pretend to appreciate my efforts." They both have a faint smile as if they are enjoying their time in front of the camera. It also looks like the cement is still wet from the wiring for the stoplight being run in the street.
Love these sweet views into the days gone by. Thanks Dave!
Your efforts & bucks are so entertaining to myself & my friends. Thanks for all you do, wishing I could post things like this. Sorry, no $10 words here, just a simple thanx!
Maybe they were an option and this is a stripped down model?
Considering the amount of fun, laughs, and knowledge Shorpy provides its audience, a subtle watermark on a photo is a small price to pay. I, for one, would be happy to pay an annual subscription fee to enjoy Shorpy.com.
Having spent much time researching photos at the Library of Congress in the pre-internet days, I can't imagine the amount of work Dave and his helpers put in to find these wonderful images. Plus the costs of hosting the site.
And, as long as I'm ranting, the prices charged on this site for prints are VERY reasonable.
I will say no more.
So subtle I didn't notice the watermarking until mentioned in the comments. Sad that some people find their joy in endlessly repeating the photos they've ripped from this site all over the web, forcing this to become necessary.
Meanwhile, as the copper saves the young lady from injury or a messy death, he's blocking traffic. The driver looks like he's about to dump the clutch and let 'er rip any second.
... is just a little distracting over the hood of this car, I think. I like to scrutinize the reflections and ornamental detail, so it's probably just me.
[Shorpy paid $177.50 for this photo, which will be ripped off right and left for sale on eBay and who knows where else in the coming months. Would you say you're getting your money's worth? - Dave]
Absolutely! No offense intended. I understand why it's in the photo. I just meant, that particular placement was where every car lover is going to focus. I've noticed the "watermark" in lots of photos, and they're always tastefully and unobtrusively applied.
"Well, I'll be. A fine lady, a cop, a photographer, and goodness knows what else."
There's something distinctly otherworldly about that fellow.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5