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Rare early view of San Francisco, published in Prague during the Gold Rush.
The view is a very early perspective of the city from the first months after the start of the Gold Rush. Taken from Rincon Hill, looking northwestwards, one sees San Francisco in a very primative state. While a number of wooden buildings have been hastily constructed, much of the city's population is still housed in tents. The area below Montgomery Street is yet to be reclaimed from the Bay.
What makes this view unique is the elegant and ornate border of a Baroque design, popular in Central Europe. The view was based on a sketch by the artist R. Rchich, and sought to satisfy the great contemporary interest that the Gold Rush and San Francisco had acquired throughout Europe, including in the Czech lands of the Austrian Empire.
The view is apparently quite rare on the market, this being the first example we have ever seen.
