Title:
[San Francisco, east from Kearny and Clay Streets, with masts of sailing ships in the harbor.]
Abstract:
Bird's-eye view from the roof of the Union Hotel in Portsmouth Square, with the harbor and docked ships in the background.
This image is sometimes referred to as the "Sea of masts" view, and once thought to be the earliest surviving photograph of
the city of San Francisco. It has been noted that the store ship Niantic is visible toward the right, which would indicate
a date prior to the fire of May, 1851; possible from late 1850. This plate is the right half of a two-plate panorama, the
other half of which is lost and not thought to have survived the earthquake and fire of 1906. The full view does exist in
copy photographs. (For example, see copies in the Roy. D. Graves Collection at the Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 1905.17500 v.1:18-:19),
with digital reproductions available online. For another copy of both halves, see BANC PIC 1905.16242:194a-b-- PIC)
Date:
[between 1850 and May 1851]
Subject:
Buildings
Cities and towns
Commercial buildings
Dwellings
San Francisco (Calif.)--Pictorial works
Note:
This view and other daguerreian panoramas of San Francisco are reproduced and discussed in the San Francisco Maritime Museum's
"Sea Letter", vol. 2 nos. 2 and 3 (October 1964).
Type:
Daguerreotypes
Landscapes
Physical Description:
1 photograph : daguerreotype ; whole plate, visible image 15 x 20 cm.
displayLabel="Marks, Inscriptions and Accompanying Material">Blind stamped on plate: [LL] flower symbol; [UL] 40.;;;displayLabel="Image
Package Note">Original component parts: plate, mat, cover glass. Mat: octagonal.;;;displayLabel="Container or Case Note">Type:
half case. Material: leather over wood. Dimensions: 27 x 21.8 cm. Notes: label -157 (from prior owner). Daguerreotype removed
from case and housed separately.;;
Local Call Number:
BANC PIC 1905.16242:106--CASE
Filename:
brk00040091_8a.tif
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Contributing Institution:
UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library