This is Catalogue No. 9, an illustrated price list that contains a complete offering of assay materials accompanied by photos and detailed line drawings. Soft cover, 355 pgs. Meas. 6.5 x 10.” The Justinian Caire Company was incorporated in 1895, but first established 1851. “Importers, Manufacturers and Dealers in Assayers’ Materials, Laboratory Glassware, Chemicals, Stains and Reagents, Scientific Apparatus, Microscopes and Accessories, Battery Screens.” Located at 573-575 Market Street in San Francisco. Some stains and spotting on the cover; the spine shows wear at the top and the bottom, otherwise Excellent. No photograph. $350.
1885 Billhead to the Bullion Exchange Bank in Carson City for some assay weights and an 1898 receipt to a lab in Santa Clara. While this lot contains only two pieces it duplicates the two most artistic billheads. Two pieces. $175. Sold
This is a small collection of three different billheads from the prominent San Francisco assay supply house of Justinian Caire. The three billheads are dated 1885,1896 and 1901. The 1885 piece is a note addressed to Superintendent Keating of the Hale and Norcross Mining Company in Virginia City. The note discusses some bullion weights that Mr. Caire sold to the mine. The 1896 receipt is also for weights but this is to the Bullion Exchange Bank in Carson City, Nevada. It was very commonplace for banks in mining regions to take bullion as a regular bank deposit. The third receipt is a for lead ordered by the Keystone Mining Co. in Amador City, one of the largest gold mines in the central Mother Lode region. Justinian Caire billheads are particularly notable because of their beautiful, fancy artwork. As an example the 1901 billhead has a hand drawn etching of an assay balance, microscope, crucibles, and other scientific apparatus. Three pieces $150.
No. 4400 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited with assay results. This piece is an R8 with just 1 to 3 pieces known and could possibly be Unique. Curtis, Perry, and ward ran the United States Assay Office in San Francisco and were directly involved with the striking and distribution of the California USAO $50 Gold Slugs. This extremely rare gold rush survivor was printed by La Count & Strong. It is lithographed by Britton & Rey. It measures 8 x 6 1/2” and was printed with black ink on thin light blue paper; which sustained some sharp folds over the years. The receipt is for Gold Dust that was deposited by Almy. “Weight Before Melting 4073 dwt, Loss In Melting 155 dwt, Nett 3918 dwt, Fineness .932.” A fee of 1 ¾ per cent was charged as a commission, which netted proceeds of $3,708.20. $11,500.
Business card for Frank Davis, an assayer in San Francisco, c 1890’s. He appears to have left the city by 1900. These cards are rare with perhaps less than ten known. R7. Very Fine. $250.
See above description. $300. Sold
No.2642+ Duplicate exchange signed by Donohoe, Kelly & Co. and by J.U. Flovo. Pay to the order of Margaret Loftis for $40.00. Red California second of exchange .08 cent adhesive revenue stamp on reverse tied with printed cancel. Rare, probably R7. Very Good. $175.
First of exchange with RNG “Eugene Kelly & Co, NY.” At left with allegorical vignette of two ladies. Printed by, Le Count Bros., San Francisco. Payable to A.R. Fauntleroy for $648.09 “in U.S. Gold Coin.” Imprinted revenue stamp. Probably an R7. $350.
Promissory note for $3,500 payable to Drexel, Sather & Church by important metals dealer Thomas Selby, marked PAID on the obverse. In this case, Selby borrowed $3,500 for about three weeks. Condition is Fine with two chips at the extremities. No photograph. $250.
No.21922 Duplicate exchange signed by Drexel, Sather & Church. Pay to the order of E. H. Fitch Phelps. $100.00. Vignette at left, cameo style Roman. Extremely rare, probably high R7 or R8. Very Good condition. $250.
No.46232 Second of exchange signed by Drexel, Sather & Church. Pay to order of C.W. Ward $580.82. Vignette of the company's San Francisco operation at top center and an allegorical Goddess Mercury at upper left. This piece is Extremely Fine except for a brown stain to the upper right quarter. Printed by Robinson and Seibert, New York. Extremely rare, probably R8 (1 to 3 known). $250. Sold
Rare item from this obscure bank. Dunbar established this bank in San Francisco in 1850, where he redeemed at par the gold coins of Baldwin & Co. In 1851 Dunbar began issuing his own gold coins. [See Kagin’s chapter on Dunbar & Co, pp 112-3]. Gray paper with black print and measures 10” long (including attached stub) x 3” high. Check printed at the Alta California Office, Portsmouth Square, San Francisco. Extremely Fine. Probably R7. $750.
Duncan, Sherman & Co. was another of the New York banking companies that entered the California gold rush marketplace. The company did not, however, enter into the banking world directly by the establishment of banks in California, but rather into the gold bullion trading and assaying businesses. Their first foray in to California came in January 1854, when Palmer, Cook & Co. could not pay the bond coupons of the California State bonds, and Duncan, Sherman & Co. stepped in and paid them, thus protecting the credit of the State in the eastern markets. A lengthy letter regarding this period of a private bank backing a State Bond is fully discussed in Cross’ Financing an Empire, (v1, pp174-5, 182-3). Clarke discussed the financial ties between Duncan, Sherman & Co. and Palmer, Cook & Co. in William Tecumseh Sherman, Gold Rush Banker (1969). This company has no association with William Tecumseh Sherman, the California Gold Rush banker and Civil War General.
No. 6225 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Hardy & Kennedy. This very rare bullion receipt is probably an R8 (1 to 3 known) and is an example of some of the great rarities that were produced by the Hardy & Kennedy archive of Forrest hill during the latter part of the gold rush. Measures 10 7/8 x 5” with black print on crème colored paper. Weight before melting 132.67 oz, After Melting 127.54 oz, Fineness .898, and after fees and charges having a Net Value of $2,359.05. Typical folds and foxing. $4,500.
No. 8 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by W. F. & Co. – Palmer. Crème colored paper that measures 12 7/8 x 4 1/8” with black print including the words “Description of Bullion” and below that “Grains California.” Weight before Melting 66.40 oz, After Melting 66.34 oz, Fineness .906, and a Net Value of $1,237.30. There is a hand written notation “Cont Iridium.” The most unique aspect of this exceedingly rare assay receipt is a small 1” embossed shield located at the upper right hand corner with the five lines embossed as follows: “Duncan / Sherman & Co / Alsop & Co / E. Justh / Assayer”. Ultra rare and very possibly the only example having the embossed company shield present. R8+. $4,500. Sold
One Dollar share note. “Shares one dollar” “Second California Art Union” “$85,000 in shares of $1.00 each” Printed by B. F. Butler, San Francisco, no date. Printed signature of J. C. Duncan at lower right. Blue paper. On the reverse is “1853” in pencil. This note, or share certificate, is certainly one of the most important notes to surface in recent years.
Joseph C. Duncan came to San Francisco and the Gold Rush in 1850. Born in Philadelphia, he managed a magazine in Illinois before managing the New Orleans Crescent in 1848. Caught up with the news of the gold rush, he ventured to California to enter the printing trade, probably one of the first in that business. His press was destroyed in 1851, causing Duncan to explore other businesses, including real estate. Duncan was an advanced art aficionado. He was “characterized as one of the first to introduce and encourage art in a liberal and critical spirit”, as noted by editors Starr and Orsi in “Rooted In Barbarous Soil” published in 2000. He was the first president of the San Francisco Art Association. As a collector, Duncan acquired many quality paintings and along the way met many of the art dealers of Europe. During 1853 and 1854 he travelled to Europe where he bought a large number of paintings by many of the great artists of Europe, including Van Dyke.
During the trip he concocted a marketing scheme of utter brilliance. His gallery on Montgomery Street was perfectly situated for the paintings to be seen by the wealth of San Francisco. His salesroom was known as the Duncan’s Chinese Salesroom, and the scheme involved the forming of the second California Art Union. The property of the Union was the group of paintings he acquired in Europe, which he transferred to the stockholders through the sale of his One Dollar notes. The First California Art Union was formed in 1850 by an Act of the State Legislature authorizing the Trustees of the Union to “save and distribute Art.” Duncan, an avid art collector and promoter, seized on the original idea and went a step or two further, creating the second Art Union.
Once the paintings were on display in Duncan’s studio on Montgomery Street, the sale of notes began. “In a scheme perfectly suited to the reckless, gambling, go-ahead spirit of the gold rush, Californians purchased 100,000 tickets (shares or notes) at $1 each, which, in mid-November were drawn from a wheel of fortune at the Metropolitan Theatre. Over the course of two days, in a great spectacle that provided entertainment and promoted culture, 6,000 superb articles were distributed to the crush of excited Californians who jammed the theatre.” (Starr & Orsi). The paintings and art were given away to shareholders (those with the notes) in lottery style. An interesting side bar is that historians maintain Duncan sold 100,000 notes, but the note itself shows 85,000. Did Duncan really sell 15,000 more? Is the inflated number an historical exaggeration? Probably the latter, but only more research will tell. The event was wildly successful, in any case.
By 1856, Duncan bought or formed the Daily Globe and later the California Home Journal, an artsy magazine sometimes available to collectors today. He organized the Pioneer Bank of Savings and Deposit sometime after the 1855 bank crash created by Adams & Co. BY 1875, Duncan’s bank had more than $1.1 million in deposits. He also formed the Safe Deposit Company of San Francisco in 1874, complete with its own four story stone building. Unfortunately, both of these banks failed in 1877 amid many charges, of which Duncan was later exonerated. [Cross, History of Banking in California]
This piece is presently one of two known (R8) to the author. It is printed in classic California Gold Rush style. The serial number is hand written, and this specimen has a code of some sort written above “California.” This is serial number 53,496. $8,500.
Receipt for goods shipped from J.A. Coghill & Co. on board the California Steam Navigation Company's steamer, ANTELOPE, which traveled between San Francisco and Sacramento. The ANTELOPE was perhaps the best known for carrying Pony Express mail. The mark H.K. at the left is a symbol for Hardy & Kennedy, merchants of Forest Hill, perhaps best known for their Kellogg & Humbert gold bullion receipts. Included with this shipment were barrels of ham and sugar as well as multiple cases of coffee and soup. Printed by Hitchcock, San Francisco on blue paper typical of the gold rush era. R7 rarity (about ten known). Very Fine. $150.
To Steamboat ECLIPSE. Signed by Mitchell for $11.25. The Eclipse was one of the California Steam Navigation Company's steamers that worked the San Francisco to Sacramento, Delta route. These gold rush era steamboat receipts have become very collectible over the past two decades. Printed by Towne & Bacon, San Francisco Very Fine. $150. Sold Duplicate piece still available. See image under catalog addendum (New, online-only items link).
Unissued, possibly Unique, fifty dollar scrip payable in fare, freight or gold. Printed on bond paper with repeated security feature of red “50” in small print. Printed by Archibald McLees, New York. This company was foreign financed, and stock certificates bearing their name are rare. Very Fine condition with several creases. This is one of the few California scrip notes that is post-gold rush but still involved emigrant traffic from New York and Europe to the California gold fields. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $2,750
No.5472 Third of exchange payable Duisenberg & Company for 358 lbs sterling. Falkner, Bell & Co. were one of the oldest commission merchants in San Francisco, the same business as Duisenberg. These exchanges are probably R7. Fine with chips and folds on right edge. $150.
No. 5962 See above description for 188. Very Fine. $175.
No. 3701 Rare express receipt for coins sent from SF Branch Mint to Colonel Snowden, Superintendent of Philadelphia Mint. Signed by Harry Howard for Freeman & Co. This remarkable receipt is probably for examples of some of the first 1858 coinage produced at the U.S. Branch Mint in San Francisco sent to the Philadelphia mint for inspection. Very Fine. $350.
Very rare, envelope “Paid Freeman & Co's Express over our California and Coast Routes” The pre-paid Freeman & Co. Express Cover has a printed corner advertiser/return address for S. Molitor & Co. Assayers at their 110 Montgomery Street Address, which dates the cover about 1860-61. The oval cancellation is difficult to read but may be a Wells Fargo & Co. cancellation dated Oct. 11 at Marysville. This is an interesting nuance because the cover is a Freeman & Co. pre-paid stamped envelope that was used throughout the Wells Fargo system. Extremely rare, probably R7 generally Fine to Very Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $1,750.
Payable to Eastland. Please see the following description. $150.
Payable to H.P. Wakelee, signed by R.S. Fretz. Printed by Agnew & Deffebach. Fretz & Ralston began business in 1857 by themselves after being partners in the firm Garrison, Morgan, Fretz & Ralston. R.S. Fretz was a partner with William Chapman Ralston. After Fretz retired (more or less) Ralston took over and reincorporated the bank as the Bank of California. H.P. Wakelee was a major San Francisco apothecary dealer. These checks are fairly rare. While they are common in institutional collections, they are very rare in private hands. Extremely Fine. $150.
No.9656-57 Assay Receipt. Hanks was a Practical Chemist, Assayer and Geologist. This is a rare billhead for Hanks showing his fancy vignette of the Egyptian Metallurgist at left. It was signed by his son, Abbott as noted by the initial A. under the Henry G. Hank's signature. There is one known historical ingot from this firm. Extremely Fine. $125.
This group of three documents illustrates a very important part of California assay and mining history. Henry Hanks was trained in San Francisco and was “broken in” at the gold, silver, copper camps of Inyo Co. in the early 1860’s. After working in mining camps for a number of years, Hanks moved to San Francisco and opened a business there. He later parlayed his business experience into becoming an official state assayer. His son continued the business into the 20th Century. This lot is highlighted by a wonderful three color business card for Henry Hanks, which notes he established the Pacific Chemical Works in 1866. In red under print on the obverse and green on the reverse is an Egyptian depiction of a metallurgist. A second sheet for Henry Hanks, dated about 1890, discusses the detection of acids. The third sheet is for his son, Abott, who assayed gold ore, from the Kennedy mine in Amador, which ran 1.76 ounces per ton gold. All three pieces are Fine to Extremely Fine.Three pieces. $675.
Hentsch & Berton were the successors in 1863 to Henry Hentsch's banking and assay business in San Francisco. Hentsch was born in Geneva about 1830 and arrived in California in 1849 after working in Grass Valley and Sonoma he opened an assay office and bank in San Francisco about 1856, though he may have been active in banking there as early as 1854. Hentsch is perhaps best known to numismatists by the rare Hentsch gold ingots found at the wreck site of the the S.S. Central America, which sank in 1857. Ephemera from Hentsch is even more rare than the ingots. The most common collectibles are Hentsch & Berton checks, though there are probably less than ten known, three of which are in this catalog.
Check payable to Moreshead Esq., for $47, signed by F. Berton. Printed by Bosky of San Francisco. There is an imprinted revenue stamp at center RNB 17. They are not listed in Castenholz's Field Guide to Revenue Stamped Paper, Part 1, Western States. Extremely Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $2,500.
Check No. 202 payable to R.B. Parker, for $108.17, signed by A.H. Hoenhner. Endorsed by Parker to Sather & Co. with blue printed Sather & Co. stamp. This check differs from the others in that is was a personal check used by Mr. Hoenhner on the bank of Hentsch & Berton instead of one of Hentsch and Bertson's bank checks, which comprise the other two lots. An interesting attribute to this check is that Hentsch & Berton had a customer at Mukolumne Hill, which was one of the important southern gold belt mining camps. Very Fine condition with revenue stamp at top left. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $1,500.
Check payable to Freight. Golden City, for $116.58, signed by Hentsch & Berton and in Berton's handwriting. There is an imprinted revenue stamp at center RNB 17. This revenue stamp is not listed in Castenholz's Field Guide to Revenue Stamped Paper, Part 1, Western States. Printed by Bosky of San Francisco. Extremely Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $2,000.
No 8839 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by J. Sime & Co. Printer not identified. Crème colored paper with red print measuring 10 ¼ x 6 ¼.” This bullion/assay receipt is an R8 and may possibly be Unique. It represents a bullion bar submitted by the banking firm of Sime & Co. of San Francisco, and documents receipt of a bar weighing 53.38 oz before melting and 53.34 oz after melting, with a fineness of .884, and gold that was valued at $952.67 before assaying fees and other charges for transportation and handling were deducted. There is a normal amount of foxing and the typical folds that down sized the receipt so it would fit into a pocket of the depositor for convenience. There are also some small spots or stains along the left edge and top. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. R8 and possibly Unique. $4,500. Sold
One box of gold dust shipped by San Francisco merchant Mellus Howard & Co. on board steamer Panama consigned to Howland and Aspinwall bound for Boston. The box reportedly contained: six tins of gold dust weighing 1875 oz belonging to Mellus Howard & Co., another tin of 187.5 oz gold dust, another tin belonging to Susan Thompson weighing 62.5 oz., and eight ingots of gold valued at $402.16 belonging to Mellus Howard & Co. This important receipt illustrates the huge amount of gold that was mined in the gold fields during the very first part of the gold rush (1849). Shipping the gold east was a problem since the banks were not active in the express business at the time. Very few documents of this nature and age survived. Fine. $7,500.
Shipped by F. Huth Gruning & Co. on board the Oscar for goods sent from Valparaiso to San Francisco. The discovery of gold in California caused an exodus of eastern business interests to Valparaiso to take advantage of additional trading opportunities there. Valparaiso was an important Chilean port in southern South America, particularly for ships coming around the horn from the east coast of the United States or from Europe. The city's financial sector was strong, buoyed by German businessmen beginning during the early part of the 19th century. The Germans controlled the spice trade from this port. This receipt is for six trusses of merchandise. Very Fine. $350.
James King of William was one of the first California Gold Rush bankers as well as one of the most notable and outstanding of the early settlers in California. He was born in Georgetown in 1822, the son of William King. At age sixteen, James King, in an effort to distinquish himself and assert his individuality, added “of William” to his name because at the time there were numerous James Kings in his community. This act was characteristic of the type of man James King of William was to become during his remarkable life – an outspoken, ambitious, and influencial moderator and businessman of his time.
While on his way to California in 1848, he bought out a supply house in Valparaiso, Chile along with six employees, and brought the whole works to San Francisco. Once in California, he and his men were off to the gold mines of Placerville, where they did exceedingly well. After his gold mining successes dwindled, he worked as a clerk for Reading & Co. in Sacramento. In1849 he opened a bank in San Francisco, which was tremendously successful at first. However, King made a critical error in judgement when he hired a man to run a gold dust buying venture and the man bought worthless mining stocks instead. This mistake was ultimately responsible for the bank’s closure.
Despite this defeat, after his bank failed James King of William became a vociferous newspaper editor lashing out at corruption. During 1855 he was the Editor of the Daily San Francisco Bulletin, a successful publication with a large circulation, plentiful advertisements, and a power and popularity unmatched by any other journal of that time. That year he made it a point to champion good morals, better schools, honesty in public office, exemplary citizenship and professional competency, while firing shots at all corrupt public officials and violations of the law for crimes ranging from gambling, dueling and bribery to embezzelment and fraud. These attacks brought a severe response from the offenders, often rich and powerful men. The following year he was assassinated by convicted felon James P. Casey after King exposed Casey’s criminal record to the public.
James King of William was deliberately shot on May 14, 1856, at the northeast corner of Montgomery and Washington streets. He died on the 20th of May, and two days later his assassin was hanged by the Vigilance Committee. Sadly, his daring, opinionated editorials cost him his life. [Ref: Bancroft History of California v. IV]
This is an April 1849 handwritten letter to James King of William from Z.F. Johnston. This letter is Extremely Rare because it was written to James King of William while he was at Sutter's Fort serving as a clerk for Reading & Co. This was prior to his banking and newspaper years. The letter is in regards to a remittance he made on behalf of James King to King's wife and states: “I hope your next letter will bring you better news from your family.” Some creasing otherwise Very Fine. From the Art Kagin Collection. $3,500.
This is a lot of two letter sheets. 1) Two illustrations showing Fort Vigilant at Sacramento Street between Davis & Front streets (upper) and a mass meeting endorsing the Acts of the Vigilance Committee (lower). Published by Noisy Carier’s (sic) Book & Stationery Co. Lithographer Britton & Rey. The upper picture shows gunnysacks, cannons and guards on the roof, with signs for Brown & Crowell, Mills & Vantine Stoves. This is a busy street scene with horses and carts and men milling about. Lower illustration shows a large crowd gathered on the street around a speakers’ platform. On the reverse of this sheet is a document entitled, “Constitution and Address of the Vigilance Committee” adopted May 15, 1856. There are some nearly invisible repairs to slight tears on the reverse and repairs to centerline. Very Fine. 2) Two wood engraving portraits of James King of William, on a single letter sheet, describing him as the Patriot Martyr of California. He was also editor of the San Francisco Evening Bulleting and a driving force in the formation of the Vigilance Committee. James P. Casey assassinated him on May 14, 1856. Lower engraving shows him after death with the entrance and exit wounds visible. Sheet measures 9 ¾” x 7 ¾.” Some light spotting, a few tape stains, Very Fine. $3,500.
No.365 $100 Bond for the City of San Francisco issued in May 1851 to Thomas Holt and signed by San Francisco notables John Geary, Banker D.J. Tallant, and James King of William. The latter is an exceptionally rare autograph, in particularly Fine condition, without cancellation marks through the signature. $7,500. Sold
No.16883 Second of exchange issued to James King of William for $13,332.94 and endorsed by him on the back. This is certainly one of the finest and rarest California Gold Rush banker pieces extant. It is from the Art Kagin Collection. $9,500.
Title transfer signed by James King Of William. An Extremely Rare document bearing the signature of James King of William. $7,500.
This important group consists of two original family albums: a scrap book constructed by James King of William’s son , Charles James King, and an album entitled “King Genealogy” constructed by his granddaughter. The King Genealogy album, an approximate 50 page typescript, will add much insight into James King’s life before San Francisco. In summary, it notes he was the son of William King born January 28, 1822 at 7pm. JKW was possibly one of sixteen children. King lived in Georgetown and went to California May 11, 1848, arriving Nov 10, 1848. King returned August 2, 1849 and came back to California arriving December 1, 1849. The family book does not state why the departure to Georgetown. His family arrived in May 1851. His family left for Georgetown in May of 1854, and James sold his house, possibly considering a return to Georgetown. The family returned in December 1854, when King was employed by Adams & Co. He started the Evening Bulletin October 8, 1855 and was in the employ of a bank through the time of his assassination attempt May 14, 1856. He died May 20 and the funeral procession on May 22 passed by the execution of Corey, the murderer.
Charles James King was born March 8, 1844 in Georgetown and married in 1858 in San Francisco. He assembled and made the Genealogy album, handing it down to his daughter Mrs. Clancy Ritchie McKee. The album is stuffed with news articles and letters from the twentieth century primarily from the 1920’s.
“Every moment I could spare from school, I chose rather to be with him than elsewhere. When he was a banker, I rode on my pony, each afternoon after school, to meet him at his bank, on the corner of commercial and Montgomery streets, and was beside his buggy as he drove home, which was then on Jones stree, between Lombard and Chestnut.
When he was editor of the bulletin, for seven months, until his assassination, I used to visit his editorial rooms as often as I could go, and he used to tell his friends who happened to be there, that I knew everything in the paper, editorials, news and even the advertisements. Every evening after dinner, when I had finished my recitation in Latin, to him, I was accustomed with all the ardo of a youthful enthusiast to discuss, after my own fashion, the subjects of his editorials, and thus knew and realized the good cause of pure government in which he was engaged and for which his life was sacrified.”
The 11 x 13” scrapbook contains 35 leafs, 70 pages (about 6 clippings per page) of 1850’s news articles about JKW assembled by Charles, who was 22 when his father was murdered. While 152 years have dried the tears of a loyal son, the scrapbook nonetheless brings to light an eerie melancholy about the man James King of William, who was clearly revered by his son. The inside cover is filled with poems clipped from newspapers of the period. The book begins with a biography of King published after his death, and then delves directly into the assassination.
Curiously, the biography states King was in California before the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill. While it does not discuss JKW’s early work in California, he did in fact work at Sutter’s Mill in 1849. It discusses his history as a banker with Corcoran & Riggs in Washington DC and states that his move west was for his health.
The album is well illustrated. Most illustrations are as appeared in the newspapers of the period. Only three related illustrated letter sheets showing JKW are noted in Baird’s California Pictorial Letter Sheets, and six additional letter sheets involve James Casey’s execution by the Vigilance Committee. The scrapbook contains four of the nine letter sheets, all trimmed.
Many of the cut articles clearly contain the editor’s box showing JKW’s brother as his successor editor to the Evening Bulletin, Thomas Star King. Many articles discuss the “revolution” and the need for vigilance. Other columns and articles from the Daily Alta California, as well as other newspapers, discuss the politics in the aftermath of the murder. Nearly all of the subject matter involves the Vigilance Committee. One month after JKW’s death, judge D. S. Terry tried to assassinate a policeman and member of the Vigilance Committee, and the Vigilance Committee was in action again. One important related item in the scrapbook among the news clippings and illustrations about the Vigilance Committee is a political ticket for Fremont, “A Republican and People’s Reform Ticket”. No article appears later than July 1856.
The JKW scrapbook constructed by JKW’s son Charles King clearly shows the family’s concerns about lawlessness in San Francisco at this period of the gold rush. While there are no personally inscribed notes present, the book nonetheless is a clear expression of the overwhelming agony the family felt toward corrupt politicians, moral ineptitude and general lack of respect for the common man.
King’s newspaper, which was born from the need to expose corruption, lives on today. Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) wrote for it in 1863-1864. California financier Spreckles purchased the paper, and along the way, it was renamed the Call-Bulletin. In 1913 M. H. De Young bought it, and later sold it to William Randolph Hearst, and it became known as the San Francisco Call and Post. In 1965 they merged with the San Francisco Examiner.
This is the only actual family relic commemorating the life of JKW in private hands. $15,000.
The need for vigilantes in California climaxed during the gold rush when thousands flooded the gold fields seeking their fortune. Not only was the wild west full of possibilities and opportunities for those pursuing the American dream, but also for the criminals and more unsavory members of society, looking for a new start and sometimes, perhaps a new haven for their lawless antics. In the early 1850’s San Francisco was at the epicenter of this population explosion, and at the time the city had a very small police force, consisting of just one constable and a handful of conservators. As the city’s population multiplied, so did number of crimes committed, and soon law enforcement was overwhelmed.
About the time that the San Francisco waterfront earned the nickname of the Barbary Coast, after the coast of North Africa, infamous for harboring convicted criminals and pirates referred to as “barbarians”, the honest and law-biding citizens of San Francisco felt the need to take justice into their own hands to protect their property and families. This feeling came to a head in June of 1851 when alleged burglar John Jenkins stole a safe from a local business in broad daylight and walked right out the front door. Thus the first “Committee of Vigilance” was formed June 9th, 1851. This first committee consisted of 700 members and engaged in policing, deporting immigrants, and various investigations into illegal activities within the city. During the few months it existed, the 1851 Committee of Vigilance, which focused on civil crimes, regularly denied suspects due process and lynched four people. It disbanded in September of the same year when citizen opinion was that law and order had been restored. {An illustration of Jenkin’s body hanging from the office of Burgoyne & Co. appears in the Burgoyne section of this catalog.}
However, over the next few years the gold still poured out of the mountains, and so the people still poured into California. At one point the population of the state is said to have doubled every ten days. By the middle of 1855 crime had again reached a fervent pitch in the city by the bay. San Francisco was not only swarming with settlers, miners and immigrants, but also with con men, ladies of the night, corrupt politicians, thieves, and other criminals who went where there was money to swindle and where their reputation did not proceed them. In the first ten months of 1855 there were 489 murders in San Francisco but few were prosecuted and brought to justice. The practices of stuffing ballet boxes or using ballet boxes with false bottoms became popular at this time and those in power shielded their friends from criminal prosecution within the courts. Carpetbaggers filled City Hall and citizen discontent was at an all time high.
Eventually, the honest residents of the city, local businessmen and merchants again began to fight back. This time, the power of the press was behind the people and newspaper editor James King of William roused the public against certain influential, wealthy politicians whose power brought them personal financial gain.
On May 14, 1856 King exposed the criminal record of James Casey, one of the city supervisors, who was an ex convict of the notorious Sing Sing Prison in New York. Casey shot King the same day and King’s supporters rallied in anger. This was the catalyst for the forming of the second 1856 Committee of Vigilance in San Francisco. William T. Coleman, a major San Francisco merchant, shipper and the future partner of F. M. “Borax” Smith, headed up the committee, and its members included many well known historical figures. One such man was Charles Doane, an experienced soldier who was put in charge of military details and converted a commercial warehouse on Sacramento Street into an armory and drill hall. The location became the headquarters for the vigilantes and was popularly named Fort Gunnybags since it was complete with cannons mounted behind its walls and ten-foot high piles of sandbags protecting the entrance. Another famous member was railroad man, financier and future California Governor, Leland Stanford of Stanford University.
This second committee differed from the first in many ways; it focused more on political corruption and dirty politicians than civil crime, and it was much, much larger. This time support for the committee reached as far as Nevada and membership numbers climbed as high as 7000. Like the first committee each member was anonymous and referred to only by number but the second committee was seven times as large. The most famous acts of the 1856 Vigilance Committee were the executions of James Casey and Charles Cora. Cora had gunned down a U.S. Marshal, but because he had many friends in office it was feared that the corrupt Sheriff might facilitate his escape. James King of William encouraged the lynching of the Sheriff should this occur. Both Cora and Casey were found guilty by the Vigilance Committee in informal hearings and publicly hanged.
It was due to controversial hearings and the swift and severe vigilante justice that these hangings represent, as well as the power expressed in the sheer numbers of Vigilance Committee members that not all local political and business figures were in agreement with the Committee’s antics. Gold rush banker and future Civil War General, W.T. Sherman was one such opposing figure. When Sherman lost the support and authority he needed to put down the Vigilance Committee through legitimate means, he resigned his position as Major General of the San Francisco Militia. In his memoirs Sherman harshly criticized the Committee, accusing them of “controlling the press” and “writing their own history”.
During its reign, the 1856 Committee of Vigilance transferred the political power in San Francisco to a new party established by its members and supporters. Then on August 11, 1856 the committee dissolved, marking its end with a “Grand Parade” down the streets of the city it was formed to protect. That party, known as the People’s Party was later absorbed by the Republican Party sometime after 1867.
[Ref: Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, Wikipedia, The San Francisco History Index Online, Bancroft’s History of California]
The two medals appearing in this catalog are from the 1856 Vigilance Committee. The Vigilance Committee used surveillance as a means of social discipline, which is why Lady Justice appears on the medals without her blindfold.
Caption: “Samuel Whittaker and Robert McKenzie Rescued from the Authorities, and Hung by the Vigilance Committee on Sunday August 24th at 3 O’Clock P.M. in the Presence of Fifteen Thousand People.” Printer – Justh Quirot & Co. Meas. 7 ¾” x 10.” Long tear on left quarter, creases, foxing. Fair. $1,250.
Photo
Courtesy of Stack’s, Lot 3283, John J. Ford, Jr. Collection Part XX
& XXI, October 2007 Sale.
Membership No. 5949 Silver Medal. The obverse has the great seal of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance comprising the 'All Seeing Eye' in the center, a tablet below to receive the member's number, “COMMITTEE OF VIGILANCE” immediately above and “ORGANIZED 9TH JUNE 1851. REORGANIZED 14TH MAY 1856” around the top. The reverse has Justice (not blindfolded, as Woodward noted in 1879) standing in the center, “San Francisco CALIFORNIA” below, and “BE JUST AND FEAR NOT. FIAT JUSTITIA RUAT COELUM.” around the top. The maker's mark V & G. (A. Vachon and T. Gihon) appear at the lower left. This medal is medium gray in color and has some iridescent toning. This is a very handsome piece, considered one of the best in the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. It is extremely rare and the Stack's Cataloguer has records of only nine numbered 1856 San Francisco Vigilance Committee medals in existence. According to Stack's, all 1856 San Francisco Vigilance Committee medals are from a single die pair and the piece that appeared in an October 1998 west coast sale was mounted with an incorrect San Francisco Committee of Vigilance seal. [Ref: Stack's Catalog, John J. Ford, Jr. Collection] From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $37,500. Sold
Photo Courtesy of Stack’s, Lot 3285 John J. Ford, Jr. Collection Part XX & XXI, October 2007 Sale.
Membership No. 2580 Silver Medal. Please see the above description. This medal is in Very Fine to Extremely Fine condition. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $30,000. Sold
The Joseph Brothers were one of the many California Gold Rush jewelers. They are one of only a very few who issued coins or storecards during the 1850’s. In fact, Joseph Brothers were amoung a handful of San Francisco merchancts who commissioned to have California small denomination gold coined as early as 1852. All are exceedingly rare. This storecard was made in the late 1850’s, after the firm moved from 175 Clay Street to 149 Montgomery Street. Here, they were located among the coiners and assayers so it is no surprise they issued their own coins for advertising. They did not follow in the footsteps of another famous Gold Rush jeweler, John L. Moffat, whose gold coins and ingots are now legendary. During our pursuit of the finest pioneer minor coinage over the past two years, we were able to acquire three specimens:
Joseph Brothers / of Liverpool England / Watch Makers / Jewellers (sic), Opticians/ & General Importers / 149 Montgomery Street / San Francisco, Cal. // the Cheapest House / In California for / Good Watches / Diamonds, Jewelllery / Silver Ware Cutlery, Etc. Rd, brass.
No. 6713 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by Wells Fargo & Co. - Hardy & Kennedy. Measures 9 5/8 x 4,” on buff/crème colored paper with red print, printer unknown. This is a very rare assay receipt in that it is the only one known without “Hunter” crossed out and is therefore at least an R8 but could very well be Unique. It is beautifully signed “Justh & Hunter” at the bottom right. The gold weighed 72.46 oz before melting, 70.10 oz after melting, and was .887 fine. The value before assayer fees and other charges totaled $1,285.34, and $1,276.80 after expenses. Torn along the bottom edge as if separated from a sheet or page containing several receipts. Typical folds and aged coloration. R8+. $4,500. Sold
[1] Elisabeth L. Egenhoff, The Elephant As They Saw It, State of California, Divisions of Mines, p51, Letter form Colonel R.B.
Mason to General R. Jones, Adjutant General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C. dated August 17, 1848.
[2] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p51
[3] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p50
[4] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p57
[5] Kenneth Bressett, The Official Red Book of United States Coins 2007, p227.
<[6] James Polk, State of the Union Address, December 5, 1848.
[7] “Asher B. Durand’s Career as an Engraver” by Wayne Craven; The American Art Journal, Vol.3 No.1, Spring 1971, page 39.
[8] See Longworth’s New York Directory, 1832-3, and 1834-5 for entries of the firm under both names.
[9] Carson City Silver Age, 10/20/1861
[10] Mark Twain’s Letters, Volume 1, 1853-1866, p208-9, 212.
[11] Carson City Silver Age, October 2, 1862.
[12] The Silver City Assay Office is not listed in the 1863 Nevada Territorial Directory.
[13] Doten Journals, p1453.
[14] Clark, editor; The Journals of Alfred Doten [Doten Journals.jpg">, 1849-1903; 1973. Pp 1241, 1368, 1382, 1391, 1453, 1860.
[15] After the Territorial Census, Irvin is absent from US Census data. He may have died shortly after.
[16] Mining & Scientific Press May 21, 1864. p341. 391
[17] 1862-1874 San Francisco Directories
[18] 1875-1877 San Francisco Directories. Chalfant. The Story of Inyo, 1933.
[19] 1881 San Francisco Directory
[20] Owens. California Coiners and Assayers, 2000
[21] Kagin, p305.
[22] San Francisco Herald, November 19, 1851.
[23] Kagin, p167.
[24] Hittell, Mining in the Pacific States of North America, p208, 1861. Interestingly this important
reference is also titled “Bancroft’s Hand-Book of Mining for the Pacific States”.
[25] San Francisco Herald, January 8, 1852.
[26] [Ref: Hittell, p208.jpg">.