Luxury Real Estate

By Melody Brown of Zephyr Real Estate

Former residence of prolific San Francisco artists, Frank Brown and William Campbell, is for sale.

San Francisco, CA – June 4, 2009 – More than a century after its humble beginnings, when cows grazed the hilltop separating NoeValley from Eureka Valley, this dignified Victorian home offers a colorful glimpse of neighborhood history unique to San Francisco.Now part of the Dolores Heights Special Use District, a designation established in 1980 to preserve the unique character defined by the historic architecture and dramatic topography of the area, 3733 21st Street occupies a doublewide city lot at the crest of the hilltop. Appreciated as much for its sunny microclimate as for its architectural diversity, Dolores Heights has emerged as a premiere neighborhood, positioned close to the heart of the city, yet easily missed by both tourists and natives.

Based on available records, the Victorian structure was apparently built around 1885. The home is noted in two local publications including Here and Now and Painted Ladies, San Francisco’s Resplendent Victorians. While its dignified symmetrical façade with center entry and brick stair captures the hearts of any passer by, the story of its inhabitants is even more compelling.

In 1955 the home was purchased for $9,500 by Frank Brown and William Campbell, both artists and lifelong companions who probably met first at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland where Campbell was teaching after World War II. While it is known that Campbell had exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Art in the 1930s and 40s, their engagement in the art community likely ended in the mid 50s, yet they continued to work. Only after Brown’s death in 2000, was it learned just how dedicated these men were to their art.

When the current owners took occupancy of the home in 2000, along with the house, they inherited a lifetime collection of artifacts and personal belongings. Among these belongings, stored in furniture, closets and the home’s full-length walk-around attic, were the life’s work of the two artists. After years of careful excavation and cataloging, a collection of 793 paintings was recovered.

The collection documents a diversity of styles that reflected the decades of the painters’ lives. Frank Brown’s work includes illustrations, traditional still lifes, landscapes and figuratives, as well as cubist, abstract, fantasy and surreal. William Campbell’s work encompasses early muted-palette still lifes, vibrant Mexican landscapes, traditional figuratives and nudes, and surreal/abstract forms and renderings. After years of research, documentation and editing, the current owner is publishing a catalog in honor of the extraordinary body of work left behind by these talented individuals.

The same level of respect has been given to the structure as to the paintings. In 2001 a new roof was installed to protect the building and its contents followed by numerous upgrades including the addition of a driveway at the east side. A new concrete perimeter foundation was completed in 2005 along with other seismic upgrades.

At the interior, the spacious central entry hallway still functions as a gallery. Off the central hallway, the double parlor, illuminated by a square bay window, features a well-preserved carved marble fireplace surround, original six-panel doors and softwood flooring. Tall Victorian-era ceilings and substantial turned woodwork, suit the scale of the living spaces. Two gracious bedrooms connected by a walkthrough closet, common in that era, remain intact at the opposite side of the entry hall. In the back, the kitchen and dining spaces are now enhanced by a newly-created opening to the adjoining sunroom, providing a lovely vista of the expansive and lush backyard. The top floor living space, previously a painting studio, now provides gracious guest quarters with wonderful southern vistas.

Having housed this emerging collection of work for more than half a century, the property will be offered for sale by Zephyr Real Estate in mid-June. Though the personal belongings will be edited to accommodate visitors, excerpts from the Campbell & Brown collection of paintings will remain on display as a tribute to the wonderful heritage that makes this residence an important part of the Dolores Heights community.

For further information the sale of this remarkable property, please contact the listing agents, Harry Clark at harry@getreal-sf.com or Danny Fernandez at danny@getreal-sf.com, or visit their website, www.GetReal-SF.com.

About Zephyr Real Estate

Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s largest independent real estate firm with $1.1 billion in gross annual sales in 2008 and a current roster of more than 250 full-time agents. Zephyr has seven offices strategically located in San Francisco and serves a large customer base throughout the City. For information, visit www.zephyrsf.com.