https://sanfranciscosanfrancisco.com Sat, 25 Jul 2026 16:47:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 https://sanfranciscosanfrancisco.com/2025/11/4-early-california-photographs-by-w-j-piatt-monterey-carmel-mission-c-1900/ https://sanfranciscosanfrancisco.com/2025/11/4-early-california-photographs-by-w-j-piatt-monterey-carmel-mission-c-1900/#comments Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:48:44 +0000 https://sanfranciscosanfrancisco.com/2025/11/4-early-california-photographs-by-w-j-piatt-monterey-carmel-mission-c-1900/



















Group of four early California pictorialist photographs by W. Silver-gelatin photographs on matte paper. Each photograph is signed on the reverse : Negative by W. Piatt, San Francisco (either stamped or written in pencil). Some images are titled as well. The subjects of the images are. (1) A view of the Mission Carmel with a man and his dog standing at the side entrance. (2) An architectural study of a California Mission Wall. (3) A view of working men at a train station, possibly in Monterey. (4) A ranch at the foot of Mount Shasta. All of the scenes are beautifully composed and photographed in the Arts & Crafts Pictorialist style of the era. A rare and historically interesting group of images. SIZE (of each) – 4 1/4″ x 6 5/8″. PROVENANCE: San Francisco collection. CONDITION: Excellent condition with the exception light discoloration at the edges (see photos). NOTES / REFERENCES: W. Piatt was a San Francisco photographer of some note during the late 19th and early 20th century. He is known for his views of California in the popular Pictorialist style of the times. He was an associate editor of “The Architect and Engineer of California” a monthly journal published in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He exhibited works in the Photographic Salon of the Mark Hopkins Institute during the early 1900s. Piatt photographs were published in a number of photography journals in America. He was a member of the California Camera Club where he exhibited with Arnold Genthe, Oscar Mauer. Charles Meeker and others. His photographs are rare.

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Make an Offer Today and Get a Quick Response! Take a Look at this Week’s Specials! CARMEL MYERS – AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH – HFSID 278122. CARMEL MYERS Sepia-toned publicity photo by Evans of Los Angeles of Myers from the shoulders up and in a transparent wrap (and not much else), signed “Most Sincerely” Photograph signed “Most Sincerely/Carmel Myers”. With pencil notations on verso in unknown hand. Inscribed in lower right corner: Evans/L. Myers was once one of Hollywood’s most enticing and alluring vamps, especially as Iras in Ben-Hur (1926), and starred opposed Douglas Fairbanks and Rudolph Valentino. She made the transition to talkies with character roles and even to television with a 15-minute interview show, The Carmel Myers Show (1951). Lightly toned and bowed. Adhesive residue on verso. Otherwise in fine condition. See more material from these signers. See more listings in our ACTORS & ACTRESSES (13,291). Please note that this is an authentically signed item. We do not sell autograph copies or signature reprints. Images shown may contain our company watermark. The actual document does not contain this watermark. This item has been authenticated and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by our parent company, Gallery of History, Inc. We financially stand behind our COA. Ask us about our PSA/DNA and JSA authentication guarantee. Our Third & Best Handbook – The One You Want On Historical Documents! Enhance your collecting experience. For the experienced and novice collector and for those who just love learning history this beautiful 253-page hardcover volume is for you! Take a look at over. Other listings in these categories. Gallery of History is the world’s largest dealer of authentic autographs and manuscripts. Our inventory contains documents in all areas of interest including presidents, royalty, military, aviation, religion, business, science, celebrities, sports, music, authors and more. Whether looking to add to your collection, acquire a unique centerpiece for the home or office, or as a truly one-of-a-kind gift for someone special, you’ll find it here at HistoryForSale. The Gallery of History. Founded in 1981, is a long-standing UACC Registered Dealer, #RD110, and is a long-standing member of the Manuscript Society. The Gallery of History is the largest dealer in the world with an available inventory that exceeds 230,000 rare autographs and manuscripts. Preserving historical documents is important to us. Our unframed items are sent to you either in acid-free archival sleeves or have been encapsulated when noted. The majority of our in-house framed items are also encapsulated in acid free sleeves to guard against organic acids, mounted in an acid-free enviroment and are framed behind glass or UF3-AR Plexiglas which blocks out most ultraviolet light. We warrant to the original purchaser for a period of ten (10) years from the date of the sale the authenticity of any autograph offered by HistoryForSale. Gallery of History is not liable for any other damages, including consequential damages. There are no other warranties of any nature either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

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These wedding portraits are extremely rare and were taken in December, 1946, after he had established a commercial photography business in a small store-front studio in Carmel, CA, earlier that year. But in the early 1950’s he relocated to Berkeley, CA, and during the late 1950s he was chairman of the photographic department at the San Francisco Art Institute. These portraits were obtained during a brief window of opportunity when he did portrait photography before he became a world class landscape and architectural photographer. The larger portrait has the words, ” Photograph by Morley Baer Carmel, California” and #1457-3A. There is an additional cut on the left side of the photo made by the photographer. It has never been framed. The subject of the smaller photo in the folio is the bride with the same blouse, jacket, and hat as in the photo of the couple, and it appears to be a studio shot. There is no mark on the back indicating Morley Baer’s photography, but what appears to be a “3” crossed out and a “4”. Morley Baer went on to receive the distinguished National Award for Photography from the American Institute of Architects in 1966 and, in 1967, became one of the original founders of Friends of Photography along with Ansel Adams and Brett Weston in Carmel. In 1979 he became the first photographer ever to receive the coveted Prix de Rome from the American Academy. Countless articles and books have featured Baer’s photography, including his 1989 lifetime retrospective monograph entitled “Light Years”. Baer taught and mentored countless students in landscape and architectural photography from his stone house near Garrapata Beach, CA. From a pet-free, smoke-free, scent-free and mildew-free home. Thank you for looking!

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RARE ORIGINAL EXEMPLAR FROM A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS by CARLETON WATKINS OF OLD CALIFORNIAN MISSIONS. WATKINS Carleton Eugene, American photographer of the 19th century. Born in New York, he moved to California and quickly became interested in photography. He focused mainly on landscape photography, and Yosemite Valley was one of his favourites. [Mission, San Carlos del Carmelo], near Monterey in California, circa 1883. Original albumen silver photograph. Undated but circa 1883 see Getty, 94. Laid down to card album leaf. Size: photograph – approx. 12in x 8¼in / mount – slightly larger. Light age-toning and minor fading. Minor waviness to mount. A pleasing example on the whole. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, and view gallery images closely. A rare original albumen photograph by Carleton Watkins which shows the m ission of San Carlos del Carmelo, near Monterey, in California, taken from the west with a glimpse of Carmel Bay on the right side. It is from a series of images by Watkins that documented old mission buildings in California. Original albumen exemplars from the mission series by Watkins are rare (his Yosemite photographs are better known, though equally elusive). The Getty archive holds an example of this exact photograph, at the same size 12in x 8¼in, but printed with its centre further to the left. Our example shows more of the landscape on the right hand side of the mission building, and less of the ruins on the left. But both are from the same negative, and Watkins presumably also produced this print in its full’mammoth’ form i. Circa 18in x 12in with the entirety of its landscape displayed. This exemplar was printed in around 1883 (as per Getty), presumably by Taber. The negative itself was made by Watkins sometime between the mid 1860s and early 1880s.

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