A friend in Altadena California has discovered that there is tile underrneath a crappy brick facade. It may be Bachelder tile, the house dates from the early 1920s, so if not Batchelder, it was probably made by one of their contemporaries.
Anyhow, the facade is brick or ceramic, but thin and held on with a thinset or mastic of some sort. I suggested using a heat gun or an iron on a wet towel to heat the covering and then see if that will soften the adhesive to allow the brick to pop off. Then the residue could be removed with solvents.
Does that sound plausible? Any other suggestions?.
She's been trying to find a contractor who will do it, but so far the only offer she has received was from guy who would charge $1000. to demolish it with a sledgehammer. That is not what she wants.