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The Gold Rush Fleet at San Francisco in June of 1849.

"This is considered the first authentic and correct view, but is the second issue." - Peters, California on Stone, page 120.

This rare and important bird's-eye view of San Francisco, drawn by Henry Firks in 1849, offers a detailed depiction of the city during a pivotal moment in its history. The view is notable for its detailed recording of ships in the harbor and key landmarks, reflecting the bustling activity of San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush.

Firks's view offers a window on the urban and social landscape of San Francisco at the outset of the Gold Rush. It portrays a city in transition as it grappled with rapid growth and the challenges of establishing a civic and economic infrastructure amid a flood of immigration and economic opportunity.

In June 1849, San Francisco was at the height of the Gold Rush. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848 had triggered a torrent of thousands of prospectors, merchants, and adventurers to flood into the region. This view captures the essence of San Francisco on the cusp of being transformed into a hub of commerce and migration. The detailed listing of dozens of ships, including American, British, Danish, Chilean, and French vessels like the Grey Eagle, Sea Queen, Col. Fremont, California Dorado, and Panama, underscores the international impact of the Rush.

Additionally, the view's depiction and identification of local landmarks, such as Parker's Hotel and the Customshouse, provides a snapshot of the city's nascent infrastructure. The presence of the U.S.S. Warren and the U.S.S. Southampton highlights the U.S. military's role in the region during this period.

A wide-ranging portrait of San Francisco, crisply rendered by the artist Henry Firks, is provided in this important view of the city after the discovery of gold... The view delineates the main features of the newly laid-out town: its favorable location on a wide bay; the hilly terrain according lookout points; the low commercial structures lining the shore; the residential buildings of various make, some substantial, most not; and the large amount of shipping accommodated by the harbor. At the right is the Pacific Ocean entrance to the harbor, already known as the Golden Gate. Flush with the right-hand margin of the arched print is Yerba Buena Island, preserving San Francisco's original name - Deak.

Gloria Gilda Deák asserts a source for Firks's view, which she claims was not really made "on the spot":

Firks's rendering is the source of numerous other views of San Francisco looking north on Montgomery Street to Telegraph Hill. Even several oil paintings purporting to be the prototypes of this view are probably copies of one of the earlier states. The real prototype is a watercolor by William Birch McMurtrie, now at the California Historical Society. McMurtrie was an official draftsman of the United States Coast Survey who was sent around the Cape Horn to San Francisco in 1848. His depictions of California scenes are known for their topographical accuracy - Deák.

The present 1849 Endicott edition has 46 numbered ships and sites listed beneath the image. No. 10 is the American ship Philadelphia, shown on fire, burnt on June 24, 1849.

1. American ship Huntress
2. Brazilian barque Asenath
3. Danish barque Neptunas
4. French barque Staveuil
5. French ship Chateaubriand
6. Merchant ship Victoria
7. American ship Forrester
8. American Oberon
9. American barque Superior
10. American ship Philadelphia, burnt June 24
11. Chilean barque Carman
12. Hawaiian barque Mary Frances
13. American ship Edwin
14. French ship Ronald
15. Danish ship Adelia
16. American ship Grey Eagle
17. British barque John Riston
18. American barque Col. Fremont
19. Chilean ship Virginia
20. American ship Sea Queen
21. Chilean barque Maria Louisa
22. Chilean barque Romano
23. American ship Thomas
24. American barque Quito
25. American barque Louisiana
26. American ship Greyhound
27. Chilean ship California Dorado
28. American steamer Panama
29. American barque Col. Benton
30. American ship Massachusetts
31. American barque Lucy Penniman
32. French barque Limanienne
33. Chilean ship Gen. Ferrias
34. American schooner Honolulu
35. French barque Olympia
36. American ship Heber
37. American steamer Oregon
38. U.S.S. Warren
39. U.S.S. Southhampton
40. Quartermaster P. Invincible
41. H.B.M. Inconstant
42. Launch for Stockton (Emily & Jane)
43. Customhouse
44. Golden Gate
45. Parker's Hotel
46. Island Yerba Buena

In addition to the numbered key, there are several identified streets, businesses, and sites, directly on the stone:

• Montgomery Street
• California Street
• City Hotel
• Sherman & Ruckel
• Bezer Simmons
• P.M.S.S. Co.
• G.P. Post

Editions/States: "The First Authentic and Correct View"

Firks's view was reissued repeatedly throughout the 19th century, with some confusion among authorities about designating editions or states. Most up-to-date experts defer to Baird & Evans, who describe eight known states, with slight variations in each. It is important to note that these so-called states are more proper editions, as they are often from entirely different lithographic stones. So, the present Endicott edition, for example, was notably printed from an entirely different stone than the Sinclair version printed in Philadelphia, the latter usually described as the first state.  

The generally accepted first edition was printed by the Philadelphia lithographic establishment of Thomas S. Sinclair and put on stone by Arvah J. Ibbotson. With 45 numbered vessels in the key.

The second edition, which is the version we offer, was published by George & William Endicott of New York. The Endicott edition has 46 items listed in the caption or key and has fully rounded upper corners (instead of the arch-topped or tombstone-topped Sinclair edition).

Interestingly, it is the present so-called second state, by Endicott of New York, that Harry T. Peters hailed as "the first authentic and correct view." While Peters does not explain why or how the "second state" edition is in fact "the first," we can surmise that he discerned in the Endicott edition a superior style, exhibiting a greater fidelity to the original artwork by Firks. Certainly, the Pennsylvania copyright notice on both the Sinclair and Endicott editions would strongly suggest the priority of the Philadelphia-issued Sinclair lithograph. And while most authorities, starting with Stokes & Haskell (1933), assign it "first state" status, there are several anomalies to consider:

• When comparing the Sinclair and Endicott editions, the latter is stylistically superior and reflects more details, ostensibly from the source artwork.....[?]
• Endicott, of New York City versus Sinclair of Philadelphia, business output, etc., a New York City establishment likelier first port of call for print making: Sinclair started out as a publisher of cheap prints (Wainwright: Philadelphia in the Romantic Age of Lithography).
• The Philadelphia newspaper notice on Sinclair's edition and often cited in the literature does not definitely prove priority of Sinclair's edition. Sinclair was in the the same building as the Public Ledger, and the newspaper "took particular interest in Sinclair and praised his work" (Wainwright). Here is the announcement of the San Francisco lithograph: "A Spirited Lithograph of San Francisco, printed in double tints, has just appeared, and is a very excellent picture. We are told, moreoever, it is a perfectly accurate drawing made expressly for a merchant of that city, and lithographed by R. Sinclair, of Philadelphia. It is for sale at Zierber's and Turner & Fisher's" (Public Ledger, October 13, 1849, page 1, column 4).
• Possible dual edition, commission by the San Francisco merchant W. H. Jones (through G. T. Devereux, the copyright holder).
• W. H. Jones, the San Francisco merchant....

Based on Reps and other recent authorities as well as our own experience we can identify the following states or editions:

State 1 (1849): Key below view includes 45 places. Ibottson shown as lithographer.  W.H. Jones, San Francisco. T. Sinclair Litho., Philadelphia (Reps 240)

State 2 (1849): Key below view includes 46 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco. Endicott & Co., Lith. N.Y.  (Ibottson's name removed) (Reps 241)

State 3 (1849): Key below view includes 51 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco. Fishbourne's Lithog. San Francisco (Reps 242)

State 4 ("before" 1868): Key below view includes 51 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco (Reps 304)

State 5 (1868): Key below view includes 51 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco. G.T. Brown & Co. 540 Clay St. S.F. (Reps 314)

State 6 (1868): Key below view includes 51 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco. G.T. Brown & Co. 543 Clay St. S.F.  (Reps 315)

State 7 (1880): Key below view includes 52 places. W.H. Jones, San Francisco. Snow & Co. 20 Post Street (Reps 340)

State 8 (188?) Key below view includes 52 places. (Reps 340)

State 9? (1886):  Title Change to "San Francisco 1849, Drawn on the spot by Henry Firks, Latest Edition Corrected by a Committee of Pioneers..." Key below view includes 62 places. Schmidt Label & Litho, S.F.  Max Burkhardt Copyright (Reps 344)

A very nice example of this important and rare view 1849 view of San Francisco, offered here in arguably its most desirable edition.

Rarity

Any 1849 issue of the Firks view is very rare. The later 19th-century versions do appear on the market from time to time.