American Historical Ephemera & Photography

GARDNER, William ("William G. Gardner"), to his brother. California, 27 October 1850. 4 pages, 4to, old creases with some separations, brown spotting. The '49er writes home about his journey to "Calaforney." -- CANUS, Arthur ("Arthur Canus"). West Warwick, RI, 18 September 1930. 1 page, 8vo. The writer reports that he "found these letters from your gd father Wm. G. Gardner to his wives brother Alfred Sherman," and speculates that he "was killed for what gold he had obtained there." -- Together, 2 autograph letters signed.

[With:] Replica 50-dollar gold slug. Diam. approx. 1 5/8 in. Obverse: "Facsimile of Famous Fifty Dollar Gold Slug used by the Pioneers / 1850.” Reverse: “Souvenir Pioneer Days of California/ The Days of '49 / Eureka." -- Set of 7 brass nesting gold or apothecary weights. Approx. 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (outer cup without lid as issued). -- Folding knife with 2 knife blades and cork-screw, brass handle with blacksmith on one side and a miner on the other. Length 4 1/4 in. -- Milk glass Klondyke whiskey bottle flask. Height 6 in. (Losses to finish, lacking label.) -- Together, 4 souvenirs related to the Gold Rush.

[Also with:] Sutro Tunnel Company. (Caption title). Virginia City, NV, 4 October 1869. 7 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. broadside. Three lengthy columns give information about the formation of the company and its authorization to dig a tunnel through the Comstock silver lode. RARE: OCLC locates only 4 copies. -- POMEROY, Julia W. California Polka. Composed for and Respectfully Dedicated to the New York Mining Company. New York: Wm. Hall & Son, 1849. 10 3/16 x 13 3/8 in. sheet music (minor soil). -- HUTCHINSON, Jesse Jr. and BARKER, Nathan. The California Gold Diggers. Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1849. 9 7/8 x 13 1/4 in. sheet music (toning, tape repair to hinge). -- NEEDHAM, D. and KELLOGGS & COMSTOCK, publishers. The Independent Gold Hunter on His way to California. I Neither Borrow Nor Lend. Hand-colored lithograph, ca 1850, sight 9 1/2 x 13 1/2 in., on wove paper, toned, framed. -- "Facts" About Goldfield Nevada. Denver, CO: The Forward Mining Development Company, 1904. 4 x 9 in. pamphlet (minor toning). Two copies. -- Together, 6 items of printed ephemera related to the Gold Rush.