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314

Bishop,CA - Inyo County - c. 1885-1902 - Bishop Photographs :

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Photographic Images Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Bishop,CA - Inyo County - c. 1885-1902 - Bishop Photographs :
Lot of 4 photographs, including: 1) A view of the "heart of town" of Bishop, c. 1900. The photograph measures 16 x 4 1/2", and is mounted on a dark green matte measuring 19 1/2 x 9". The contrast is high while the focus is sharp. Several signs can be read in the image, including "Marks & Cohn, General Merchandise," "Geo. W. Neill, French Candies," and "E.W. Read, Tin Shop." The image has small areas of bubbling on the far left, a piece of the image has been removed along the right edge, several scratches are visible, and some foxing is present. The matte has several areas along the top where tape appears to have been applied and removed, leaving marks. The edges and corners are slightly worn, while the reverse of the matted has been stained. Printed in the lower right corner in white is "A.A. Forbes Photo." Forbes was traveling photographer born in Ottowa Township, Wisconsin, in 1862. Worked in KS, CO, NM, AZ, TX, and OK in the 1880s-90s. He arrived in CA in 1898 and operated out of Santa Ana from 1898-1902. He had a studio in Bishop from 1902-16, and died in southern California in 1921 (Mautz). "Main St. & West Line Sts. About 1900, North and West" hand-written in pencil on the reverse. "Property of C. Lorin Ray" and "Sec. "L" No. 11 - Page 95" are also written in red ink on the reverse at different times. On the lower border of the matte is a sticker with "Intersection, Main And West Line St.s. Bishop, Circa 1900. A small copy of the photograph included notes that "as the century dawned this was the heart if Bishop. View taken in 1900 of Main and West Line Sts., looking west toward Mt. Tom. - Photo by A.A. Forbes, from the collection of C. Lorin Ray." 2) A view of Bishop's Main St., looking north through town, c. 1885. The photograph measures 15 1/2 x 4 1/2", and is mounted on a dark green matte measuring 19 1/2 x 9". The contrast is high while the focus is good. The image has several small areas removed along the right edge, some foxing is present, otherwise very fine. The matte has a 3" tear near the upper right corner and is reinforced with cardboard and tape on the reverse. Some wear can be seen along the edges and corners, while areas along the top border are marked by having tape applied and removed. The photographer is listed as A.A. Forbes. "Property of C. Lorin Ray" is written on the reverse in red, while "Bishop Main St. Looking north in the 1880 and 1890s" is handwritten in pencil. Written in red on a small strip of tape on the reverse is "P-55, Bishop's Main St. 1885." Written on a sticker attached to the lower border is "Main Stree Bishop, 1885, Looking North." A small copy of the photograph included states "Bishop's Main St. As it looked in 1885. It is viewed from the south limits looking north. Large building in foreground left was livery stable. - Photo by A.A. Forbes, the collection of C. Lorin Ray." 3) A view overlooking the city of Bishop, c. 1902. The photograph measures 16 x 4 1/2", and is mounted on a dark green matte measuring 19 1/2 x 9". The contrast is medium while the focus is good. The sign for "Levi Strauss & Co., Overalls" is barely visible under magnification. The photograph has several areas on the lower left where the matte has been stained, below areas where the matte is visible through the image, as if burned. A stain is adjacent to the holes, and several scratches in the image are also visible. The matte appears to have been completely torn off near the right edge of the photograph and repaired with tape on the reverse. A small white area on the right where the image has been removed is also noticeable. "Taken J.W. Lowle, Bridgeport, 1906" is written in pen on the reverse. Taken in the winter, snow covers the streets and rooftops. In the background, the Sierra's look impressive in their "white winter coats." A smaller, cropped version of the photograph has a caption that reads "Bishop, California in 1902." 4) A view of early Bishop, with the Pioneer Livery Stable in the center of the image. Photograph measures 16 x 4 1/2", mounted on a brown matte measuring 20 x 6". The contrast is medium, with some fading of the background. Focus is sharp, with the sign for the stable easily readable. The image has several tears runnung from top to bottom, but appears held together by a linen backing. Several areas near the center bottom and right top and bottom corners are also missing, while the matte appears intact. No photographer listed. The image shows a number carriages leaving the stable, probably in the morning. A group of four men, probably workers in the stable, sit or stand to the right of the open doors. The photograph measures 16 x 4 1/2", and is mounted on a dark green matte measuring 19 1/2 x 9". The city of Bishop was named after Samuel Addison Bishop, a rancher who arrived in Owens Valley with 600 head of cattle and 50 horses from Fort Tejon in the Tehacchapi Mountains in 1861. His ranch, the San Francis, allowed him to significantly shorten the 300 mile trip necessary to drive cattle from the San Joaquin Valley through the southern Sierra at Walker Pass, up the Owens Valley, and through Adobe Meadows in order to supply the booming mine town of Aurora, approximately 80 miles to the north (Ref: bishopvisitor.com). Aurora was originally the County seat of Mono County (CA) and Esmeralda County (NV) for nearly two years, until surveyors found the state borders were four miles west of Aurora (Ref: Paher, Ghost Towns & Mining Camps).
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