So it would not be unusual to find similar likes and taste in how the homes are furnished . But in one case the old home you own may well have been owned by an old Pittsburgh Mobster or one of their many friends and associates ,if they have a certain top hats' champagne glass and playing card motive in the center of there game room Floor.
It seems that Pittsburgh Godfather John Larocca liked this one particular floor pattern that he had in his own game room in his north Hills residence in Ingomar , its middle square a top hat with cane playing cards around outside border and when friends who would visit with Mr. Larocca and be invited to his game room for drinks asked him about the unique design he would send a rug /tile layer over he knew and had it put in for them.
I found this out after installing a burglar alarm at a woman's house in the Squirrel hill section of Pittsburgh I asked her about it when I saw it in her basement and told her I had seen others and thats when she told me the story about the floors . Her late husband who died in a private plane crash during bad weather was John Larocca's long time attorney and the floor was a gift from Mr Larocca. The center top hat tile was designed custom just for Mr. Larocca and his friends and associates.
I have seen the floor pattern in old Bloomfield ,Squirrel Hill and in East liberty sections of Pittsburgh
It was definitely a 50's Vegas cocktail lounge type theme to it and unfortunately most of the floors have been removed or covered over or the homes demolished , which is a shame as it was seen as dated and uncool. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of the design but needless to say this floor was expensive to put down and since the Pittsburgh mob was big time into gambling I can see why the floor design would have been so popular
Hopefully I will run upon it one more time and be able to share an image of it. But its now one of those great hidden story's about the Pittsburgh Mobs past. They may have been criminals but they did so in style.
I do have a floor tile like that in my basement where there is an old bar. The bar seemed a little unusual and more like a commercial type bar than a personal bar. It has the divider one would have to keep the customers from going behind the bar and you have to lift it up to get in. I think there is another floor tile with playing cards on it, but right now it is covered up with a massive tool my husband installed. Is there a way to post a photo here?
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