After Hugh built Hansel and Gretel for his wife’s business, “the unexpected and immediate success of his whimsical caricature of the popular Tudor style put him into the contracting business almost overnight.”Kent Seavey
In 1925 , he built his own home “OBERS”
Obers is beyond charming. I see it years ago and photograph it from the front, south-facing,side
and from the north side . I am captivated by the eyebrow window. It remains my favorite window in Carmel.
The elevation drawing can not capture it.
In 1940, Hugh expanded his home using a new structural system he developed in the mid 1930’s . He used his Post-Adobe for the first floor and vertical board-and-batten for the second.
I want more photos but when I go by a new tall fence has been constructed around the property.
I use my zoom from across the street , still charming.
Once again at City Hall, I see some new landscaping is taking place inside that fence.
Back I go through the front gate and am greeted with this lovely view.
The car in the driveway is encouraging, but no one answers the door, so I leave my card
And start around to the east.
The current owners are renovating and my favorite window is there.
Lack of summer foliage lets me see the door into the bedroom on ground level and the roof deck on the upper floor.
I retrace my steps and venture over to the west side of the house past a wonderful bay window.
“A one-story angled bay projects west from the SW corner with a small open deck above, enclosed with a low railing of pierced flatwork and reached by a set of wooden French doors.” Kent Seavey
The renovated patio with its stone fireplace
Has many charming touches. A birdhouse here
A wall fountain there.
From the floorplans,
I know this side door enters the laundry room
And this door opens from the dining room
The second story addition had a sewing room for Hugh’s wife, Mayotta.
Now it is a bedroom.
I have not seen the north side but the elevations show the steep roof, irregular stone woook and hand -carved trim.
The new owners are doing a wonderful job of preserving this “jewel”. Obers “is part of the Comstock Hill Historic District, which contains eleven examples of the builder’s residential buildings, all of which still retain a high degree of physical integrity as constructed between 1924 and 1929” -Kent Seavey
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Once upon a time..Tales from Carmel by the Sea 
Linda, what a charming home and what a fun tour, so glad you went inside the gate!! Kathysue
This is wonderful!
What a beautiful home ! Hugh Comstock’s houses are so special. Thanks for sharing these photos.
I also wanted to let you know that I gave you the Kreativ Blogger Award, you can see it here on my blog :
http://inspiredandpretty.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/kreativ-blogger-award/
I have received this award from another blogger and I wanted to pass the award to other bloggers as well. But please, don’t feel obligated to participate, I just wanted to mention blogs that I really love and you are part of these blogs.
Have a nice day and week !
Wow! Such a lovely home! I love cottage houses 🙂 Nice post!
Your blog is fantastic!! I have the book Cottages by the Sea …well looked at for a few years now and love it…but this is so in depth…I was wondering if I could use a couple of the Hansel and Gretel photos for a post I am doing on the cottages…I would appreciate it as they are the best I have sen on the web…I will definitely direct people here to see the work you have done…Thank you
Linda 🙂
linda… you are nothing short of amazing!
you must be famous in carmel by now. you are so brave. you just leave your card.
i have always wondered what your card says on it!
and in all these posts, no one has ever stopped you for trespassing! that is a testament
to your beautiful work and to the people of carmel by the sea who love their cottages and
are generous and gracious enough to share with those of us who love them too.
thanks!
tammy j
and really…. would you take a picture of your famous card and post it for us?!
Thank you for taking the time to share your amazing pictures!!
And as someone who huffed and puffed up I will confirm that it is indeed a “hill”. Unfortunately, once there and having finally caught my breath and taken some gravel from my shoes, I had a very difficult time seeing much detail from the street, so I am forever indebted to you for giving me closer views 🙂
Being an ‘Ober” myself, I found the pictures and the article so very interesting!
Linda – My name is Steve Ober and I lived/grew up in the Ober-Comstock house. I would love speak to you about it as I have a few pictures you may like, as well as the original deed for the house. I would also like to reach out to the new owners to possibly see the house again. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to contact me via email (obersouth@aol.com). Warm regards, Steve