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Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, Ca. This building at 800 Van Ness Ave. was a showroom for the short-lived Mark Motor Co. in 1921. They were distributors for Elgin and Dupont automobiles. Beautiful ghost sign on the back of the building with art deco flourishes and Egyptian pyramid motiff, which was popular at that time. The top of the sign says "Elgin Six" (within 3 pyramids), the latest model six-cylinder Elgin automobile. At the bottom are the company's locations: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Fresno, Boise, Spokane. The vertical ghost on the left that overlaps it is for the Pioneer Motor Bearing Co. which occupied the building beginning in 1923. Pioneer manufactured motor bearings, shims, bolts and nuts.          
7 Comments
Stan
9/25/2012 12:04:42 pm
There's some great history in these ghost signs. Thanks for posting these photos.
Jackee Nester
9/30/2014 08:59:33 am
This was my Grandfather's place. Grant A Mark, too cool to have happened upon this site while researching my ancestry. Thanks 3/14/2016 01:18:59 pm
This is a wonderful post, thank you! Pioneer Motor Bearing Co. is my family business and we are still going strong today, although we are now located outside of Charlotte, NC. We moved to South San Francisco in the 1950's and then fully transitioned to North Carolina in 2000. Here's a picture of my great grandfather (on the right) with his original crew, standing outside their shop: http://www.pioneer1.com/about/history
Joseph Greco
3/14/2016 03:20:53 pm
Thanks so much Adrian.....great history! 3/14/2016 06:15:15 pm
I forgot to show you a picture from inside the building! Look at the old leather pulley lathes. My great grandfather is the 3rd from left. Our current vice president was hired by him back in 1965; he is now in his 51st year on the job! Also including a picture of our current building in North Carolina.
Jackee Nester
3/14/2016 05:55:34 pm
Mark Motors was my Grandfather's, Grant Mark. EM Mark, his father moved to Shanghi China after the business failed. I saw something indicating he might have gone into sheet metal.
Joseph Greco
3/14/2016 08:51:43 pm
Adrian....thanks for the great photos! I've added two to the gallery of the Eddy and Van Ness building. I did some research in the City Directories and found that the other shot of the group (in front of the one story building) must have been their original location which at Eddy and Larkin St. Unfortunately the building is no longer there. Great SF history! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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