Bob Holloway writes (3/11/03):

In one contemporary book, "San Francisco, Building the Dream City" by James Alexander & James Heig (Scottwall Associates, 2002), they make a reference to the Victorian Cliff House as being "crowned by a bright blue roof," which of course is in contrast to the hand-colored postcard images of the Victorian Cliff House we have all seen, depicting the roof as reddish in color.  I have just left a message for the authors, asking if they would share their source for this reference.