Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
Savannah, Georgia, circa 1937. "Davenport house, Columbus Square." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size.
While these drainpipes don't look like real dolphins, they do bear a stunning resemblance to heraldic dolphins including the ones that are on the insignia worn by submariners in the US Navy.
Some new paint and grout, otherwise no worse for the wear
I took pictures of these same awesome downspouts in Monterey Square in Savannah this past May!
Love it. Great times when even a drainpipe was given such a level of details. Love the fish head! I wonder if it was specially crafted for this building or if they were mass produced.
The great thing about Savannah is that a lot of this kind of stuff is still around. The wrought iron fencing, gates, railings, and downspout decorations like this one are so important to the historical character of the city that there's still people around who know how to repair and reproduce this stuff.
How ironic. My husband and I just took a trolley tour of Savannah on 9/9/10 and these downspouts are most certainly still on this beautiful home. Our tour guide mentioned that these downspouts are supposed to represent dolphins as dolphins are a sign good luck and prosperity, but apparently the designer had never seen a dolphin!
Is this where Gene Simmons got his inspiration for his famous platform Dragon Boots from the "Destroyer" album?
It looks like that fancy drainpipe survives, as seen here on Google Street View. Hopefully the brick has been repointed since the photo was taken.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5