My Indiana friend, Jim Grey, writes Down the Road, an interesting blog on photography and philosophical topics. He explores the byroads and historical neighborhoods of Indiana. When he saw my September article on the Lustron houses in Jackson and Albany, he said he knew of some examples in Indiana and generously took some photographs for me. The houses below are from the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Jim took these photographs on Kodak TMax 100 film using a trusty Pentax Spotmatic II camera and the 50mm ƒ/1.4 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar lens (one of the legendary lenses from the 1970s).
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| 1908 Kessler Boulevard East Drive |
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| 2079 Broad Ripple Avenue |
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| 5638 Indianola Avenue |
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| 6466 Central Avenue |
Oops, this roof looks like a major tree limb crashed down on it. Do any replacement steel roof tiles exist?
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| 6435 Riverview Drive |
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| 6321 Central Avenue |
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| 6212 Central Avenue |
Thanks for the photographs Jim! Jim wrote his own article on the Broad Ripple Lustron homes in his blog,
Down the Road.
And as a final treat, an advertising photograph from the heyday of the Lustron era.
Wow, the curtains match the easy chair!! Love the jade green chair. I recall my mom had a dress that looked like that in the late-1950s.
5 comments:
I don't recall the '40s and '50s as looking quite as hideious as portrayed in that interior design. "Perfect setting for your colors and your taste" coupled with that illustration seems to reveal that the company conceived of their potential customers as having no "taste".
Hmmm, I agree that that interior is a bit over the top. However, look at today's pretentious McMansion with its chandeliers, glue-down "hardwood" flooring and blingy bathrooms. Good taste?
The Lustron with the damaged roof is definitely of concern. I think the only ways to repair it is to use parts from another Lustron, or have them custom fabricated.
I enjoyed seeing these. The Indiana Lustrons seem to have fared a little better than those down south. I find them very interesting, and concur that yellow, orange and green living room is something I have never seen in real life, and I have seen plenty of mid-century and later decor!
The jade chair might be all right.
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