Access
Publication and Use Rights
Processing Note
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Historical or Biographical Note
Collection Scope and Content
Collection Arrangement
Title: Reid W. Dennis photograph collection of San Francisco Gold Rush era art
Date: 1850
Identifier/Call Number: P00-013 (SAFR 23151)
Creator:
Dennis, Reid W.
Prendergast, John
Tobin, Frederick
Physical Description:
10 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Reid W. Dennis photograph collection of San Francisco Gold Rush era art, 1850, (SAFR 23151, P00-013) is comprised of photographs
of John Prendergast pencil drawings and Frederick Tobin paintings depicting San Francisco, California, and the surrounding
San Francisco Bay during the Gold Rush. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
Access
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Publication and Use Rights
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Processing Note
See the collection file for 8 x 10 in. color photographic prints made from the color transparencies (Items 04-10). The collection
file also contains photocopies of the labels that were on the back of some of the Tobin paintings.
SAFR-01657 was accrued to the collection in October 2014.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
Preferred Citation
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P00-013 (SAFR 23151), Reid W. Dennis photograph collection of San Francisco Gold Rush era art, San Francisco Maritime
National Historical Park
Acquisition Information
SAFR-01531
SAFR-01657
SAFR-01531 was a field collection by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park staff photographers in 2000. Reid W.
Dennis loaned photographs of the John Prendergast pencil drawings to the Park. The Park made copy negatives from Dennis' photographs
and returned the originals to him. The original photographs were likely salted paper prints.
SAFR-01657 was a field collection by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park staff photographers in 2001. Reid W.
Dennis loaned his Frederick Tobin paintings to the Park. The Park made copy color transparencies and returned the paintings
to Mr. Dennis. The paintings were previous owned by Celia Tobin Clark (no relation to the artist) and Elizabeth Lyman Potter.
The original paintings are oil on Whatman paper.
Historical or Biographical Note
This collection does not include a historical or biographical note.
Collection Scope and Content
The Reid W. Dennis photograph collection of San Francisco Gold Rush era art, 1850, (SAFR 23151, P00-013) is comprised of photographs
of John Prendergast pencil drawings and Frederick Tobin paintings depicting San Francisco, California, and the surrounding
San Francisco Bay during the Gold Rush. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Contains photographs of depictions of San Francisco, California, city views and landscapes during the Gold Rush by the artists
John Prendergast and Frederick Tobin, 1850. There are 10 unique photographic images (3 black-and-white copy negatives, 4 x
5 in., and 7 color transparencies, 4 x 5 in.). The three photographs of the Prendergast pencil drawings depict San Francisco
city views (Items 01-03) while the seven photographs of the Tobin paintings are primarily landscape views of San Francisco
and the surrounding bay (Items 04-10).
Item list:
- Item 01. San Francisco, California, view from Broadway Street looking east. Copy negative made from a photograph of a pencil
drawing by John Prendergast. Cows are in the foreground and sailing vessels are in the left background with several building
in between. The original print was titled "From Broadway looking East" and signed "Prendergast 1850."
- Item 02. San Francisco, California, view from the head of Clay Street. Copy negative made from a photograph of a pencil drawing
by John Prendergast. Tents and several buildings are in the foreground. Sailing vessels and Yerba Buena Island are in the
background. The original print was titled "From the head of Clay St." and signed "Prendergast 1850."
- Item 03. San Francisco, California, view from south of the city looking north. Copy negative made from a photograph of a pencil
drawing by John Prendergast. One tent is among the buildings in the foreground. Sailing vessels and piers are in the right
middle distance. Telegraph Hill is in the background. The original print signed "Prendergast 1850."
- Item 04. San Francisco, California, view looking east across the San Francisco Bay. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick
Tobin. The label on the back of the original painting reads (with penciled annotations noted in brackets), "Second Session,
Thursday Evening, May 4th. Views of American Cities, Etc. (Continued). 257. San Francisco, California. Original Oil Painting
on Whatman paper, by Fred Tobin, 1850. Height, 13 1/2 inches; width, 19 1/4 inches. View from west [southern part] of the
town, looking east across the Bay. In the foreground the land between Market St. from about the point of the old Marine Railway
[?Potrero?] to Point San Quentin can be seen, with a few scattered houses, marshy land in south, range of hills across the
Bay."
- Item 05. San Francisco, California, view looking east across the San Francisco Bay, with numerous ships anchored offshore
and a large white building in the left foreground. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick Tobin.
- Item 06. San Francisco, California, view looking toward Yerba Buena Island in the middle distance. Color transparency of a
painting by Frederick Tobin. Many buildings line the waterfront in what is now part of the Financial District, and numerous
ships are anchored offshore.
- Item 07. Cemetery, apparently on Russian Hill, in San Francisco, California, view toward Marin with Mount Tamalpais near the
center in the distance. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick Tobin. The label on the back of the original painting
reads, "258. San Francisco, California. Original Oil Painting on Whatman paper, by Fred Tobin, 1850. Height, 13 1/2 inches;
width, 19 1/4 inches. View of the Burying Ground on the North Beach and Sanceletor, the anchorage of the Vessels of War."
- Item 08. View from San Francisco, California, toward Angel Island, with Alcatraz Island in the left middle ground and Point
Richmond in the right background. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick Tobin. Five ships and schooners are anchored
offshore on the left and small boats are underway on the right.
- Item 09. San Francisco, California, as seen from Rincon Point looking toward the city and Telegraph Hill, with numerous ships
anchored offshore. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick Tobin. The label on the back of the original painting reads,
"255. San Francisco, California. Original Oil Painting on Whatman paper, by Fred Tobin, 1850. Height, 13 1/2 inches; width,
19 1/4 inches. View of San Francisco taken from the Southern Extremity of the town, called Rincon Point, looking towards the
town, with Telegraph Hill in Centre background, showing idle shipping in harbor. Rare contemporary view of San Francisco in
the early mining days, taken on the spot. The following statement was penciled on the back of one of the old frames from which
this and the following four paintings were taken, --'Painted by Fred Tobin, 1850,--who had recently been Secretary to the
Society of Foreign Artists.' This and the following four lots are apparently the earliest authentic view of San Francisco
extant."
- Item 10. San Francisco, California, north shore looking west toward the Golden Gate. Color transparency of a painting by Frederick
Tobin. The label on the back of the original painting reads, "259. San Francisco, California. Original Oil Painting on Whatman
paper, by Fred Tobin, 1850. Height, 13 1/2 inches; width, 19 1/4 inches. View of the North Shore, from vicinity of North Point,
where a few scattered miners' cabins are shown, looking west through the Golden Horn, with hills on opposite shore."
Collection Arrangement
No arrangement due to the small size of the collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Francisco (Calif.)--Pictorial works
San Francisco (Calif.)--History--19th century
San Francisco (Calif.)
San Francisco Bay (Calif.)
Black-and-white negatives
Color transparencies