California lettersheet collection

Details

Title: California lettersheet collection
Date: circa 1850-1870
Identifier or Call Number: Kemble Spec Col 09
Scope and contents: The collection consists of California lettersheets, mostly pictorial, created approximately between the years 1850 and 1870, with the bulk dating from the 1850s. Pictorial lettersheets are illustrated with lithographs or wood engravings depicting California and Western themes. Intended to be used as stationery during and after the California Gold Rush, these lettersheets served as a kind of reportage, depicting important events and popular stories of the day. Common illustrated topics and scenes include: murders and executions; the San Francisco Vigilance Committee; natural disasters, especially fires (San Francisco) and floods (Sacramento); the Gold Rush; mining life (from perspectives sentimental, cautionary, and comic); festivals, holidays, and parades; buildings and street scenes; and views of San Francisco, Sacramento, and towns throughout the state's mining region.
Finding Aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8rx9dfv

(1 - 20 of 35)

Pages

Title: Assassination of James King of Wm. By James P. Casey. San...
Description: This rare trial proof does not include the text of the final version. The caption "Funeal of Js. King" is misspelled.

Title: Benicia and Straits of Carquinez from the sout [sic] east...
Description: Two illustrations of Benicia from different vantage points, with the following identifications: Martinez ferry; steamboat lan...

Title: Celestial empire in California. Miners [upper] Gamblers [...
Description: Includes two vignettes depicting Chinese miners and gamblers.

Title: Chinese Buddhistic Worship in San Francisco, undated

Title: City of Stockton
Description: View of Stockton from across the river, with (Boggs?) lumber yard in the foreground, city in the background, and boats on the...
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: Coining money at the San Francisco Branch Mint

Title: Downieville, Sierra County, Cal.
Description: Sketched by Mrs. M.N. Horton [Herton?]. Lith. of Cooke & LeCount S. Francisco. Entered according to act of Congress in the ye...
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: The first trial and execution in San Francisco on the nig...
Description: Del. after the nature by W.C.K.
Depicts the hanging of John Jenkins, a "Sydney man," from the rafters of the San Francisco Custom House in the Plaza. A sign ...
Written in pencil on back: "neg no 4543 A371 B-79."

Title: Georgetown and Pilot Creek Canal, El Dorado County.

Title: Grand admission celebration. Portsmouth Square
Description: Sold by Cooke & Le Count Montgomery St.
Written in pencil on back: "File: Charles O. Brewster Papers in MSS. Coll." Written in pencil on back: "CHS 9B-90) 483."

Title: Grand admission celebration. Portsmouth Square, Octr. 29t...
Description: Separated from the Charles O. Brewster letters and miscellany, MS 213.

Title: Joe Bowers. A very pathetic ballad, as sung by Mr. Johnso...
Description: "A variety house, known as Johnson's Melodeon, was opened December 15, 1857, at 182 Montgomery street..." San Francisco Call,...

Title: The Jolly old miner
Description: Humorous illustration of a drunk miner riding backwards on his horse, with two laughing miners at his left, and text below.
Caption reads: "What! -- Jim!.. Come home tight again? -- No, I an't tight: I'v been knocket of my horse and robbed, after ro...

Title: Map of the burnt district of San Francisco, showing the e...
Description: Map of the burnt district of San Francisco, showing the extent of the fire. And also the brick, iron, and adobe builddings [s...
Map of the burnt district, bounded by Pine, Dupont, Vallejo, and Front Streets. The map identifies fifty-four destroyed build...

Title: Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.
Description: Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: Oh! Home of my boyhood.
Description: Depicts a happy domestic scene, beneath which is printed the text of the song "Oh! Home of my boyhood," by I. F. Shepard.
Oh! Home of my boyhood, California Lettersheet Collection, Kemble Spec Col 09, California Historical Society

Title: Panorama of San Francisco.
Description: No Baird number assigned because lettersheet was printed in New York.

Title: The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer ...
Description: Charles F. Robbins, Printer, cor. Clay and Battery sts., San Francisco.
Includes illustration of the reservoir of the Tuolumne Co. Water Company at Strawberry Flat.
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.
The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer Golden Age, April 20, 1858. No. 3, California Lettersheet Collection...

Title: The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer ...
Description: S.F. Baker Engr. 159 Clay. Charles F. Robbins, Printer cor. Clay and Battery sts., San Francisco.
Includes illustration of Whatcom, Bellingham Bay.
The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer Golden Gate, July 5, 1858. No. 8, California Lettersheet Collection,...

Title: The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer ...
Description: Charles F. Robbins, Printer, cor. Clay and Battery sts., San Francisco.
Includes portrait of Peter Lassen.
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.
The Pictorial News Letter of California. For the Steamer John L. Stephens, April 5, 1858. No. 2, California Lettersheet Colle...

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