Gifford's Extremely Scarce Bird's Eye View of San Francisco

Lot Details & Additional Photographs

C[harles] B[raddock] Gifford. SAN FRANCISCO. BIRD'S EYE VIEW. San Francisco, 1864. Lithograph with added color; drawn and lithographed by Gifford; printed by L[ouis] Nagel; copyrighted by Robinson & Snow in 1864. View of San Francisco with the busy waterfront with numerous ships in the foreground, looking across the city to the Pacific Ocean, with Telegraph Hill, Fort Point, and the Golden Gate on the right, and Union Square just left of center; an early view prior to the creation of Golden Gate Park (1870); presented in a wooden frame.

Image size 27 5/16 (at tallest) x 39 3/8 in.; Frame dimensions 33 3/8 x 47 13/16 in.

Charles Braddock Gifford (1830-1882) was an artist and lithographer. Although originally from Massachusetts, he moved to California where he became known for his many views, mostly of San Francisco and other California cities.

This large and early view by Gifford is extremely scarce. According to our records, the two 1864 states (the first by Robinson & Snow and the second by Snow & Roos) have appeared at auction only a few times in more than 100 years.

Laid down to foam board and attached to the mat (with some lifting at the right corner revealing the "Printed by..." statement underneath); scattered foxing, a stain (1 1/2-in. dia.) on the left side, several small creases likely from being laid down, and toning along edges where it meets the mat with additional toning stripes through the print; mat with toning at outer edge, though hidden by frame; light wear to frame.