[Clark, S.M.?]. Original Autograph Letter Written by a Gold Miner in the Garden Valley (El Dorado County), Talking about His Sea Voyage, Being Fed with “Hard Bread & Stinking Meat,” Gold Mining in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tree Cutting, Plans to Take a “Job of Fluming to Carry Water from one Hill to Another,” California Climate, Liberal Public Attitude to Sundays, and Mentioning: “I have never Found that Large Nuget of Gold you Told me to Send you, but I Expect to Soon”]. Garden Valley, 17 April 185[8 or 9?].
Kolloch, M.H. Historically Important Original Autograph Manuscript Letter Written by M. H. Kolloch on His Way From Fairplay (Colorado Territory) To Paradise Valley (Arizona Territory), Bragging About His Discovery of the North Extension of the “Richest Mine” in the Now-abandoned Settlement of Brownsville (California), Enthusiastically Reporting on a Two-feet-Wide Ledge Stuffed With Free Gold, and Writing That He Needs To Build 200 Feet of Road Leading to the Mine. Fairplay, California: 14 October 1866.
Original Autograph Letter Written by a San Jose Resident to His Brother, Professor of Music in Hamilton, Ontario (C.W.), Giving Detailed Advice for his Brothers’ “Quickest Route” to California, Suggesting to Cross the Isthmus of Central America at San Juan (Nicaragua) or Panama, the Best Place to Stay in San Francisco, as Well as Underlining the Importance of a Thorough Knowledge of English to Find a Job in California. San Jose (California), 12 April 1854.
Historically Important Content-Rich Letter by a Pioneer California Gold Miner, Writing to his “Dear Mother” about Reduced Wages for Miners, Increasing Emigration, Opportunities for Easy Money, and High Provision Costs; also Mentioning Yuba River Mining Expeditions and his Recent Profitable Sale. Sacramento: 21 August 1852.
Historically Important Album with 104 Original Gelatin Silver Photos and Real Photo Postcards of California, Showing the Town of Hobart Mills (non-Existent since 1938), Prosser Creek, Independence Lake, Tahoe Lake, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Gabriel Mission, Life Savers at Long Beach, &c. Ca. 1900s.
Langford, Benjamin (Ca. 1827-1904); Beatty, Addison (Ca. 1822-1903). Original Handwritten, Signed, and Notary Certified Deed of the Sale of Langford and Beatty Ranch Along the North Bank of the Mokelumne River (Now Ghosted Town of Elliot) from Benjamin Langford to Addison Beatty on 9 November 1853]. Moquellemne (Mokelumne) River: 9 November 1853.
Collection of Twenty-Eight Original Gelatin Silver Photographs, Showing the Devastating Aftermath of the 1933 Earthquake in Long Beach, Compton, and San Pedro. Titled: Photographs. 1933.
Album with One Hundred Original Vernacular Gelatin Silver Photographs of California, Showing Los Angeles and Environs (Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, Pasadena, Cawston Ostrich Farm, Deadmans Island near San Pedro, Long Beach), San Francisco (Ferry Building, Market Street, Golden Gate Park, Lands End Park), Portland (Union Railway Station, Streets, Willamette River, Washington Park), Victoria (BC Parliament Buildings, Government Street), Railway Tracks, a Swing Bridge, Port, &c. Ca. 1900.
Historically Interesting Album with 39 Original Gelatin Silver Photos of Los Angeles and its Environs, Showing the Early Annual Tournament of Roses Parade and Navajo Indians in Pasadena, Rubio Canyon in Altadena, Baldwin’s Ranch in Arcadia, etc.; also with the Photos of a Mexican Woman and Girl Doing Laundry, a Peasant Leading Donkeys Loaded with Wood, and Children Playing in Burro Alley in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ca. 1902-1903.
Original Autograph Manuscript Letter by a Fruit Seller in Marysville, CA., Talking about the Crowds of Chinese Immigrants & Native Americans, the General Buzz over Local Elections, High Rental Prices, Teacher Salaries, etc.; also Writing “Every Nation upon the Globe is Represented Here in Cal” and “California Produces all Kinds of Fruits and Nuts”. Marysville: 17 March 1859.
Harris, William. Historically Interesting Original Letter by William Harris, a San Francisco Entrepreneur, Urging his Business Associate Harriett Stone to Immediately Foreclose and Divide the Former Mexican Land Grant Rancho Sisquoc in Santa Barbara County, California. San Francisco: 6 June 1891.
Album with 63 Original Gelatin Silver Photographs of California Franciscan Missions, Titled: California’s Richest Heritage – Her Franciscan Missions. Ca. 1933-1935.
Anthony, E. M. (ca. 1826-?). An 1856 Legal Order to Arrest "Sailor Jim," One of Yreka’s (Siskiyou Co., California) Earliest and Most Ill-Fated Murderers Doomed to Be Hanged Twice. Yreka, Siskiyou County, California: 24 December 1856.
[Hinchman, Edward E., Captain]. Historically Significant Album with over 360 Original Gelatin Silver Snapshot and Studio Photos and Real Photo Postcards, Taken and Collected by E.E. Hinchman, Captain of Company F, 5th Infantry Regiment, National Guard of California, With a Detailed Documentation of Company F’s Training in the Keddie Camp (Feather River Canyon, Plumas Co., Northern California) in 1917, Showing the Camp, Company’s Officers and Recruits (Many Identified), Nearby Keddie Town, Feather River Inn, Lake Almanor, &c.; Also 5th Infantry Regiment’s Camps in Nogales (Arizona), Sacramento, Fort Mason (San Francisco), and Camp Kearney (San Diego); With Studio Images of Actions on the Western Front of WW1 and Photos of Family and Friends. Ca. 1916-1917, 1920s.
Historically Interesting Original Letter by Nevada City’s (California) Pioneer, Writing to His Sister Back Home and Talking about Limited Job Opportunities, Striking Disparity in Earnings, and the Widespread Practices of Gambling & Drinking. Nevada City: 12 June 1854.
Historically Interesting Letter by a Miner from Orleans Bar (Orleans), California, Talking about a Visiting Professor from the Smithsonian Society, Getting “One Buck” to a Rifle During a Hunting Trip with an Indian Pal, and Sharing His Recent Mining Accomplishments; Also Recounting the Latest Gossip about Miss Molly Camp Creek Spending Evening with “China Sam!” and Anticipating “To See the Fur Fly From the Celestials Cranium” Because of Another Suitor, Previously Entangled in Charges of Murder and Mayhem. Orleans Bar (Orleans), California: 28 March 1889.
VANMARTER, J. (ca. 1826-1908). Historically Significant Autograph Letter by One of the Earliest California Gold Miners Johnson VanMarter, Talking about Future Prospects from His New Land Claim, Miners’ Christmas Meal, the Best Bread in the Area, Purchase of New Rubber Boots, and his Recent Financial Losses; also Mentioning the Sacramento Flood, Water Shortages, and the Hard Work of Miners Compared to Others. California: December 1853.
Ware, Joel (ca. 1833-1902). Historically Interesting Original Letter Signed by Joel Ware, a Young Sacramento Pioneer and Future Founder of Oregon’s “People’s Press” Newspaper, to His Brother in Damascus, Ohio, Crying over his Hopeless Love for “Sib” and Urging his Brother to Pursue his Chances with her. Sacramento: 1852-1857.
Murray, John Sutherland (1818-1882); Moore, Henry M. Original Autograph Letter Signed from Moores Flat (a Gold Mining Town Later Abandoned in the Early 20th Century), Written by a California Forty-Niner and Talking about the Construction of a “Store-Room” in the General Store or the Hotel of Town Founder H.M. Moore, Successful Gold Mining, When “an Ounce of Beautiful Gold” was Obtained after an Hour Washing “under Disadvantageous Circumstances,” Nevada County Pioneer and Gold Miner James Weaver, &c. Moores Flat (Nevada Co.): 1 January 1854.
Henry, H. O. Original Autograph Letter Signed by one H. O. Henry from Sacramento, Talking about Selling Lots, Conditions of Sacramento Including High Water Levels After the Flooding in January and Mentioning the Re-Election of former Sacramento Mayor James Richmond Hardenburg and the Loss of Steamers Independence, S.S. Lewis, and Tennessee. Sacramento, 20 April 1853.
Taber, Isaiah West (1830-1912); Baker, Walter T. & Cathcart, Walter, & others. Album with Nineteen Early Original Albumen Photographs from the Collection of Samuel Parsons - a San Francisco Resident and Employee of a Local Wall Paper Dealer “George W. Clark & Co,” Including a Series of Parson’s Portraits, Views of His Residences and a Street of San Francisco, the Storefront of “George W. Clark & Co” on Market Street with Staff Members, Most likely Including Parsons, Scenes from an Outing in the Redwood Forest, &c.; with a Later Gelatin Silver Portrait of a Young Girl at the Rear. Ca. 1880s.
Church, Edward W. (ca. 1814-1861). Original Autograph Letter Signed by San Francisco Banker Edward W. Church to His Friend in New York, Talking about the Health of His Child, Visiting New York, and Recent Weather and Earthquakes in San Francisco. San Francisco, 28 February & 20 March 1856.
Original Autograph Manuscript Letter Signed by One “Claude” in San Francisco and Addressed to “Dear Uncle,” Talking about Being Depressed over Her Brother’s Failing Health and Sharing News about Financial & Family Matters. San Francisco: 26 December 1885.
Historically Important Album with 227 Gelatin Silver Photos of California, Showing the Former Lumber Hub of Fort Bragg, the Newton J. Tharp Commercial School (1908–1952) in San Francisco, the Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Second Grammar School in Dixon, Panama Pacific International Exhibition, etc.; also, with Rare Photos of the Standard Oil Co. Explosion in Riverside and Pioneering Automobile Race & Airplane Flight in San Bruno. Ca. 1908-1915.
Payne, George E. Original Autograph Letter Signed by a San Francisco Merchant George E. Payne to His New York Partner (Most Likely, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of New York, Charles P. Leverich), Talking about Early California Gold Rush Trade to San Francisco, the Voyage of the Barque Madonna, Cargo Prices, and the Sale of the Bark Hannah Sprague. San Francisco, 20 February 1850.