Hi, sorry, I haven’t been posting to this site as much as I have been posting daily to the Denver EyeFacebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheDenverEye). I will be posting to this website more as the weather gets sunnier and I jump back into photography.
Meanwhile, check out my new website, the historical archive page for the coolest record label, Denver’s Rock-A-Billy Record Company: http://rockabillywillie.com/. I am very proud of this new site!
Scott Greene, son of The Taylor’s Buddy Greene, sent in this fantastic early recording by The Taylor Four. The Taylors became a trio in 1958, but early on the line-up included Al Fike along with the later trio members Buddy Greene, Kenny Smith and Frankie Burg.
This is an amazing ’50s era cover of Louis Jordan’s Saturday Night Fish Fry, so it qualifies as jump-blues or even rock ‘n roll considering the ’50s date. On red vinyl with almost no label info, a record collector’s dream. As Scott narrates; “Al Fike sings the first verses, Buddy (dad) sings the next verses, Kenny next, and Frank sings last – he’s got the low voice. Dad’s playing trumpet, Frank’s on the stand-up bass and piano, and Kenny on the drums.”
Herbert Bayer’sArticulated Wall sculpture was erected at the Denver Design Center on S. Broadway in 1985. Many don’t realize that Bauhaus-artist Bayer originally built this sculpture on a smaller scale for the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, placed with other wild sculptures in the “Paseo Olímpico”. Here is Raquel Welch doing a “space dance” among sculptures that include the original Articulated Wall in 1968!
An advertising illustration for the Security Life building showing the Denver skyline from the mid-1960s.
Black and white version
This was sent to The Eye by Susan Crites who runs Book Depot in Lamar. It is the original Rapidograph illustration with shading and paint! Thanks Susan!!!
Orville Hagans was an horologist who started the American Academy, School of Horology here in Denver. He was also a writer, he edited the magazine American Horologist and Jewler (which is now called Horological Times).
In the 1950s he ran Clock Manor at 1901 East Colfax. Here is a description, no doubt written by Hagans himself:
Clock Manor houses one of the finest collections of clocks and watches, open to the public, in all of the world. Here is found a presentation of the Story of Time and the artistry of the clockmaker throughout the ages. This private collection has been assembled from the four corners of the world and is a fine exhibit of rare timepieces.
Later in the 1960’s Orville Hagans moved to Bergen Park in Evergreen and took Clock Manor with him.
Clock Manor Museum in Evergreen
Hagans’ description of the museum:
The World’s Most Unique Foundation of Time in all its phases. The huge 22 ft. Floral Clock adorns the center of our spacious sloping lawn and is controlled by a Master Clock inside the Museum building.
I would make a bet that the similar Elitchs‘ floral clock was designed by Hagans, as well.
