Sellers find a time capsule in their Los Feliz home

Working on an old home can require peeling back layers to another age. This well-preserved 1937 Spanish-style bungalow in Los Feliz, however, revealed an unexpected treasure when the sellers discovered an actual time capsule as they were readying the home for sale.

Hidden within a wall next to the chimney was a message from the past. “Life is compared to a relay race,� the first homeowners wrote to whoever would find the contents, “you pick it up where we left off. Good luck to you.�

Along with photos of the initial home and the original owners was a letter describing Los Angeles and California at the time. Fruit groves and flowering plants were plentiful, wrote Nathan and Clara Pallow. Earthquakes were “practically unknown� and dismissed as “Florida propaganda.�

Studios, bathing beauties, horse races and nightclubs all got a mention. “One reason people live to such a ripe old age in California is that there is so much to see that they really can’t spare the time to die.�

The Pallows explained how they commissioned architect Louis B. Selden to create a quiet environment where they could slow down and get away from the demands of the day. To that end, the architect took his inspiration for the interiors from French design, utilizing symmetry and abundant natural light.

A secluded courtyard sits at the entryway of the house. Cornices, moldings, brass door handles and stained-glass windows adorn the 1,821 square feet of interiors. Tile inlay creates a pattern in the original wood floors.

The living space includes a foyer, a living room with a fireplace, an office, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The property, at 2303 Wayne Ave., is priced at $1.75 million. Imraan Ali of Compass is the listing agent.

This occasional feature celebrates Southern California’s architectural heritage through residences built before 1960. Submit candidates for Vintage SoCal to [email protected].