First California Gold Mining Circular for a Gold Rush Organization in the Gold Region
"...a superb example of the stock-jobber's art" - Carl Wheat
A rare California gold mining item, which stands as the earliest printed report or circular of an organized California gold mining company connected with the famed Gold County. While Streeter noted a pamphlet on the American Quicksilver Company, issued a few months earlier in 1849, that organization was based on a quicksilver property in the Capitancillos Hills of San Jose, and not properly speaking in the famous gold region on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. This present self-styled circular, not a company prospectus in the strictest sense, includes an account of the "enterprising spirits" who were purportedly already taking out gold on the middle fork of the American River in 1848. The Rocky-Bar Mining Company was organized in July 1849. Organized as a Labor Association, it was composed of forty miners who had begun digging gold in 1848 on the middle fork of the American River, near the geographical center of the gold region, at a place known as Rocky-Bar (near Big-Bar). Reportedly over 100 pounds of gold were taken out of the river in a month's time.
This pioneering gold mining company pamphlet includes contributions by Philo D. Mickles, President, and James Delavan, Secretary. The text of the company's Articles of Association and two company resolutions, dated July 22, 1850, from Big-Bar, and July 29, 1850, from Sacramento City, are also printed herein. Dr. Delavan is remembered for his entertaining book, Notes on California and the Placers: How to Get There and What to do Afterwards. By One Who Has Been There (New York, 1850), described by Gary Kurutz as "one of the most spirited accounts of the journey to California and life in the mines."
Carl Wheat described the present circular as the earliest California gold mining organization:
The story of the "Rocky-Bar Mining Company" is therefore an important one. Recently there came to the writer's notice a small pamphlet of twelve printed pages, with a dark blue cover on which was printed in gold letters, "Rocky-Bar Mining Company, California. Circular, Articles of Association, Resolutions, etc. 1850." This "Circular" is dated at New-York, November 4, 1850, and is signed by Philo D. Mickles, as President, and by Jas. Delavan, as Secretary. The unique character of this little pamphlet, not only as tangible evidence of what appears to have been the first organized California quartz-mining project, but also as the earliest specimen known to the writer of California mine promotion of any character in the "The States," renders it worthy of note. There were earlier "stock companies" formed in the eastern states, in Hawaii and in Europe for the digging of California gold, but no earlier instance had been discovered of such a company emerging from the Pacific Coast and attempting to market its stock in the East on the basis of actual mining property held in California...Indeed, as an example of the stock-jobber's art the Rocky Bar Mining Company's "Circular" is superb... Chimerical though their dreams may have been, the scheme thus outlined was pushed with considerable energy by its promoters and some stock appears to have been sold.
It is worth mentioning that Streeter's copy of the Rocky-Bar Mining Company report, which was disbound and lacked the back wrapper, was not nearly as nice as the example we offer here.
A glowing report of the possibilities of the Rocky-Bar Mining Company, and a cornerstone promotional work concerning quartz mining in the California gold region.
Rarity
Extremely rare in the market, especially in such beautiful crisp condition, with the original gold-printed wrappers intact. We note only four copies selling at auction in recent years (three of which in subpar condition, including the Streeter copy).