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[renovator]

I think Matt made up his mind that he wasn't going to post here anymore.

That's certainly his prerogative of course, but he'll be back in my opinion. He's an addict just like the rest of us. I will give him props for bowing out gracefully and not creating a doppelganger as some other disgruntled former posters have done so they can troll the board under the perceived illusion of anonymity. That's just pathetic.

[Rviewer1]

I think Matt made up his mind that he wasn't going to post here anymore.

I’m quite familiar with Matt’s solutions. He has been stuck at the LOH for quite sometime. Heck I spent a lot time up there until I realised that his solution was incorrect. I don’t want to speak out about him anymore than that.

[Choice]

Yeah last I heard from him was when he dug another hole at LOH and this time not empty hole!

[jayheedan1]

I don't think it is rbFox's place to criticize maltedfalcon's decision to work on his own for a bit.  The other two of us living in the SF area backed off willingly.  If we were concerned about losing out on the treasure, we would have raised a stink ourselves, or traveled there to beat him to it.

I looked at the verse on my own and came up with a different location.  I have not yet made the journey into the city, because I don't think it ends in a specific enough location.

Here's some rambling thoughts:

I'll start with the assumption that the "sweet smell" is Ghirardelli chocolate factory -- but it is good to keep in mind that the foundation here is weak, and another verse might still work...

"The air smells sweet" -- this is possibly confirmed by the backwards "Gh-" in the picture, as it is not G.H. as an abbreviation would be...

Yes

"At stone wall's door" -- possibly The Cannery, it's mostly new brick now, but maybe an original stone doorway or window frame exists, even better if it matches that one on the mountain in the image; this is located next to Ghirardelli Square...

The wall that runs along Van Ness Ave, starting at Bay Street, ending at the building at Black point pier.

...
"Not far away, High posts are three" -- from Ghirardelli square, you can probably see the 3 masts of the Balclutha museum ship in the nearby Maritime Museum; this would also be an indication to walk in the direction of the Aquatic Park there too....

Yes

...
"Education and Justice, For all to see" -- (haven't found a use for this yet);...

Education is the Maritime Museum transferred to the NPS in 1978.

Justice is Alcatraz (the rock) as seen in the painting.

...
"Sounds from the sky" -- I was thinking about the Golden Gate bridge, mere blocks away from the Aquatic Park; I haven't spent much time at Fort Mason, but it is practically in the shadow of the bridge, which would be noisy with cars above (hard to confirm from the internet);...

Either the Announcers' towers in Aquatic park or probably more likely the radio station that was in Ghirardelli Square.

...
"Near ace is high" -- (really no idea what this is, could be a large letter A on a sign or building, which I do see in online photos of Fort Mason);
"Running north" -- which the GG bridge does,
"but first across"...

traveling south across GGB/Hwy 101 (depicted in hair part) and turning North at the intersection of Van Ness Ave/Lombardi street (depicted in the dress panel).

Her crossed arms could suggest the intersection of these streets.

...
"In jewel's direction" -- not sure if this is speaking of our buried gemstone or a location-specific item;

"Is an object, Of Twain's attention" -- according to one website there is a paddle boat wheel at the entrance to the Maritime Museum; sure Mark Twain liked river boats, but is this a case of me shoehorning the clues to fit a theory?...

Yes, Eureka! (Paddleboat at Hyde Pier)

...
"Giant pole" -- another boat mast? At this point we would need to be on solid ground near the final dig location, maybe a flagpole at the fort;

"Giant step" -- (again, nothing specific to go on);

"To the place The casque is kept." -- the end....

The pole attached to the firewall at the defunct tram tunnel on Van Ness at the entrance to the Maritime Museum.

Tram depicted under the table of the rose in image. Preiss' rules said "not in a dangerous place" "not by ACTIVE tracks" was it defunct at that time?

Use of 'Giant' to emphasize San Fran Giants baseball team to clue in on city but also to take a step away from the wall to dig.

...
So, I think we need to look at the Hyde Street Pier, possibly walking along the Aquatic Park, maybe as far as Fort Mason.  There are several styles of lamp posts along that route, one of which matches the spiral at the base of the flower stand in our image, and the table is sits on has a base which could also be in the shape of another lamp post....

Wow catherwood, you posted this back in 2004 on page 3 of this thread!

I really think you pretty much had it, did you ever explore the Van Ness entrance to the Maritime Museum?

Not saying for sure this is the casque location but it is very compelling and if I were in the area would definitely look into it.

From this 'door' on Van Ness you can see a tall pole/stonewall, the three wooden masts at Hyde Pier, Alcatraz, the Museum, Ghirardelli square, the highway is nearby.

It checks all the boxes. I would almost say the spiral of the rose stem is the cove outline that Van Ness Avenue merges into, but it's not exact. Some of the iron scroll work of the street lamps in Aquatic park are a better match.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8068791,-122.4259992,3a,75y,52.43h,96.1t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgpIyafB-s9tQnoSaKM-xfw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Choice]

...
"Not far away, High posts are three" -- from Ghirardelli square, you can probably see the 3 masts of the Balclutha museum ship in the nearby Maritime Museum; this would also be an indication to walk in the direction of the Aquatic Park there too....

Yes

NO! This's been brought up 1000 times. C.A. Thayer was moored at cove. Balclutha was at Pier 41 then. LQQK!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5aQQfibWqM

[jayheedan1]

...
"Not far away, High posts are three" -- from Ghirardelli square, you can probably see the 3 masts of the Balclutha museum ship in the nearby Maritime Museum; this would also be an indication to walk in the direction of the Aquatic Park there too....

Yes

NO! This's been brought up 1000 times. C.A. Thayer was moored at cove. Balclutha was at Pier 41 then. LQQK!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5aQQfibWqM

My bad it's early and that one slipped by, thanks for the correction. But yes, the C.A. Thayer was there since at least 1966, point is there was a ship with three mast poles in the cove in 1980. For that matter the 3 wooden posts could be the Fisherman's wharf sign.

[jayheedan1]

...There is what appears to be an octopus head, upside-down, just below her wrists and between the dragon's wings.

...

It has also been thought to be a reference to Strawberry hill.

I actually think it is the cove outline of Aquatic Park.

[UnprovenFact]

The pole attached to the firewall at the defunct tram tunnel on Van Ness at the entrance to the Maritime Museum.

Tram depicted under the table of the rose in image. Preiss' rules said "not in a dangerous place" "not by ACTIVE tracks" was it defunct at that time?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Franc ... t_Railroad

Use of 'Giant' to emphasize San Fran Giants baseball team to clue in on city but also to take a step away from the wall to dig.

Maybe the Giant step is not out and away from but rather, up. Go check out what is above that tunnel entrance. Looks like there are steps up there. Maybe they lead to something.

[jayheedan1]

That’s a good point. I was thinking about the “in jewels direction” bit and it was telling us we had to go across East on hwy 1 before going up North on Van Ness.

Not take a giant step East at the pole.

I think you are right its up on top by the pole. He could have easily dug a hole up there without drawing attention and the view we be even better.

[Rviewer1]

If you’re going down that rout then near ace is high would be the Golden Gate Bridge since it's highway 1. If you are below it you would hear sounds from the sky.The Golden Gate itself would be the object of Twain’s attention. The Fisherman’s Wharf sign could be high post are three.

I was never opposed to those options. Highway 1 does go North but first across. And vertically it is high.

I believe the Japanese clue for the sounds from the sky was radio signal, so to me the Announcers' tower is the best fit so far.

Yes to the Fisherman's Wharf Sign posts, could be too obvious though. The ship masts at Hyde pier, if they were there in the 80's, could easily be High posts are three. (wood if the Japanese suggestion is to be believed).

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8074554,-122.4223343,3a,75y,25.99h,91.1t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMqK0nKUp-_mEoRybRQ8uFUrQ4owGaM2sWThy0n!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMqK0nKUp-_mEoRybRQ8uFUrQ4owGaM2sWThy0n%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya70.89846-ro-0-fo100!7i11264!8i5632

The problem with the ship Masts is that they are movable and you never know when or why. I don’t think BP would have used the ship and Masts with that kind of uncertainty.

[Choice]

In case of museum ships they don't move much if at all. BP DID use ship in Boston puzzle; USS Constitution.

[jayheedan1]

...The problem with the ship Masts is that they are movable and you never know when or why. I don’t think BP would have used the ship and Masts with that kind of uncertainty.

I would disagree it’s been there in the cove since 1963 and designated to the museum in 1978. No matter if it moved to a different dock, it was still there in the cove.

Restoration

The State of California purchased C.A. Thayer in 1957. After preliminary restoration in Seattle, Washington, an intrepid volunteer crew sailed her down the coast to San Francisco. The San FranciscoMaritimeMuseum performed more extensive repairs and refitting, and opened Thayer to the public in 1963. The vessel was transferred to the National Park Service in 1978, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1984. After three full careers, and over 100 hundred years, she remains -- restored and maintained for future generations -- to be experienced at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

[jayheedan1]

Totally agree with RV and Goonie. There should be an image confirmer to the final location and a line in the verse...

Josh Gates said this to JJP and he said that is not correct.

[Choice]

I wouldn't put much credence on what JJP says. He's famous for double talk and misdirection. Sometimes he just doesn't know.

[catherwood]

Such great fun seeing my 2004 self quoted as if 16 years of further discussion didn't matter. Way back then, I think I was liking Aquatic Park that week because I had other business in the city which gave me the chance to walk around that neighborhood. I still like the GGP map in her dress, but these days I am more attached to the Sutro Heights area, which is a giant step up from that old giant totem pole. I do like that photo of the tunnel entrance, but every tunnel entrance around SF (if not the world) has an arch to match the painting's door. Since 2004 we also have external hints for "sounds from the sky" and wooden posts, and i'm too old now to be digging up the countryside and climbing stairs. I'm following the threads and waiting for the day when someone finds the SF casque, either thru determination or stumbling upon it. Either way, I hope to still be mobile enough to join the locals for a celebration.

p.s. about the final dig spot and image confirmers, I'm only certain that the daughters said one could see all of the details in the painting from the New York location; we shouldn't extrapolate a solid rule for the rest.