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Printed To Inform San Francisco Investors of the Devastating Virginia City Fire of 1875
Extremely rare (perhaps the only surviving example) of this finely executed view of Virginia City, Nevada by Augustus Koch, lithographed by Britton & Rey.
The map illustrates Virginia City, just a few months prior to the fire of October 1875, which significantly reshaped the town.
Originally issued as a 3 color lithograph in 1875, the present example was a rare variant, printed in a single color and then overprinted in Orange to show the Burnt District, following the Virginia City fire of October 24, 1875, which wiped out nearly half the town.
In addition to the orange overprinting to show the burnt district, an early owner has added a bit of red in manuscript, updating the printed burnt section to shows more affected areas
Augustus Koch
Augustus Koch began his career as an itinerant birds-eye view artist in California in 1870. Over the next nearly 30 years, he would criss-cross the country, creating more than 100 views of towns, large and small. His large format, highly detailed views are among the most coveted among collectors, employing a unique style which provides both physical details of the town and a map-like quality.
Rarity
The view is extremely rare. We know of no other surviving examples of his fire edition.
The original 3 color edition is also extremely rare. We know of only the Library of Congress and Pennsylvania State Library copies.
Provenance: Estate of John Swingle.
Augustus Koch (1840-?) was one of the most prolific American engravers of Birds Eye Views working outside of the major publishing centers. Koch initially served in the Union Army during the Civil War as a clerk and draughtsman in the Engineers Office in St. Louis. Although his English was poor, he was later commissioned as an officer and assigned to one of the Black regiments serving in Mississippi where he drew maps for the advancing Union forces. By 1865 he is thought to have contracted malaria and at 25, was discharged from the army.
By 1868, Koch had become an itinerant Bird's Eye View engraver. His earliest dated views are of Cedar Falls, Vinton, and Waterloo, Iowa. At that point his career seemed to take off and in rapid succession, maps by Koch were produced in every section of the country. In 1870 he produced 5 maps in Utah, Wyoming and California. In all, Koch produced over 100 views, including over 20 Texas Views, during a career of 30 years. His last recorded view was produced in Montana in 1898.
Reps notes that while Koch engraved fewer views than some of his contemporaries, "no American viewmaker traveled more widely in search of subjects. . . "
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