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Diamond Brick Company
Donated by Chris and Sandra Ingram
History
The Diamond Brick Company opened for business in 1908 at 573 Market St., San Francisco. The
office of the company for many years was in the Balboa Building. In 1916, they moved to 593
Market St., San Francisco. The brick works were located at the east end of
5th Street in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County. No description of this plant is available.
The Diamond bricks were shipped for use throughout San Francisco
Bay Area. They produced shades of red stock brick and three shades of buff face brick. They
also produced their trademarked Texturesque line in red, buff, and gray colors.
Fine examples of the Diamond brick can still be seen at the Hancock School on Filbert St.,
San Francisco, and the Clawson School at 32nd and Magnolia streets, Oakland. The Diamond red brick
was also used in the Model Brick Residence on display at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.
The brick company closed in 1920 and dismantled its plant.
Diamond Brick
Diamond red brick was used in the Hancock School, San Francisco.
Diamond red brick in the wall of Hancock School, San Francisco.
Red stock brick is pale red, red, and dark red, showing the various firing stages. Visible black spots
prominent on the surface. Sides are smooth with straight and even edges and sharp corners. Some edges
display lighter shades of flashing. Fine grooves are visible on the sides running longitudinal
or transverse on the sides. Top face is smooth with curved wire-cut marks. No brand name or marks on the
face. Extruded, stiff-mud process. The brick is hard and compact. Length 8, width 4 1/2, height 2 3/4.
Diamond buff bricks used at Clawson School, Oakland.
Three shades of Diamond bricks in the wall of Clawson School, Oakland.
The Diamond buff bricks at Clawson School could not be observed closely enough for
a full description and measurement of the bricks.
Diamond Texturesque red brick in the wall of the Potter Residence, Cherry St., San Francisco.
Texturesque red stock brick is dark red and purlish red, mostly uniform in color,
with a smooth, but granular surface texture. Corners are sharp and
edges straight and slightly rounded. Angular grains of cream feldspar up to 1/4 inch across and
a few round black iron spot can be seen on the surface. Minor pits and longitudinal grooves
may be present on the surface. Faces could not be observed for description but appears to display
longitudinal wire-cut marks. Extruded, stiff-mud process. Dimensions are small. Length 7 7/8,
width 3 3/4, height 2 1/2.
Source
Architect and Engineer, January 1915, v. 40, no. 1, p. 28.
Architect and Engineer, May 1915, p. 128.
Architect and Engineer, July 1915, p. 22.
Huguenin, E., and Castello, W.O. "Contra Costa County." 17th Report of the
State Mineralogist, 1920, p. 49.
Polk's Richmond and Martinez City Directory 1914-1915.
Copyright © 2004 Dan Mosier
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Comments or questions are welcomed.
Please send email to Dan Mosier at danmosier@earthlink.net.