American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Sixth plate tintype portrait of two gentlemen (bending/creasing to plate, with spotting and surface scratching, wear/image loss in certain areas; unsealed.) Housed in a pressed paper case (surface wear, repair to spine). Subjects identified on inscribed paper housed in case: "James Standley, Nate Hadden, 1860 or so, California Gold Seekers." The pair of bearded men are featured sitting side-by-side, with unknown gold-highlighted accessories (perhaps pins of some kind?) on their shirts.

The 1850 census records a James Standley, 17 years of age, living in Newtown in Yuba County, California, and working as an unspecified "miner." The men in the image look to be in their 20s-30s, making this a plausible record for the man in the photograph.

[With:] Quarter plate tintype portrait showing a pair of aging gold miners. (Image rather dark, with myriad surface abrasions, rusting, image loss behind mat; mismatched mat and preserver; unsealed.) Housed in a pressed paper case (surface wear throughout).

This fascinating scene centers around a pan containing gold-highlighted nuggets. The man holding the pan is seated on a chair or stool, and appears to sport a long graying beard; he shows off the gold by pointing to the nuggets with his free hand. The other man, sporting a gray goatee, also points to the nuggets; he appears to have a pick axe with a long wooden handle leaning against his torso.