carleton e. watkins (1829-1916), attributed to, or eadweard muybridge (1830-1904), attributed to

mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted, matted, 1860s-70s

Presumably, the Gardner Collection of Photographs, Harvard University

To the present owner, 1965-66

Grading this albumen print on a scale of 1 to 10 - a 10 being an albumen print with deep brown dark tones and highlights that retain all of their original detail - this print rates a 10. The image's few dark areas, confined to the shadows in the rocks at the lower right, are a deep and intense brown/black. The highlights are a light cream color. The print is essentially in excellent condition. There are two tiny dark specks in the sky area which may be due to imperfections in the paper. When the print is viewed very closely in raking light, a very few faint thin scuffs can be seen on the print's surface - none of these breaks the emulsion and they are only visible upon very close examination. The mount is lightly age darkened at the periphery, and there is a 2-inch tear in the upper portion which does not endanger the print. There is a small loss missing from the mount's lower edge.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present lot has no caption or credit to indicate authorship, and as of this writing, no signed print of the image has been located.  In April of 1996, a print of this image, with the calligraphic title 'Tissack, 6000 Ft., South Dome from Glacier Pt., Yosemite Valley,' was offered in these rooms (Sale 6827, Lot 106).  Although unsigned, that print was on a mount calligraphically inscribed with Thomas Houseworth & Company's San Francisco address, and thus was credited to Eadweard Muybridge, whose work Houseworth is known to have published.  At this time, Weston Naef is examining a number of mammoth-plate photographs on Houseworth & Company mounts, with possible re-attribution to Watkins as a potential outcome.  The presence of the print offered here and in Lot 122, together in one catalogue, affords a rare opportunity for comparison and study.

Era of Exploration, fig. 50, page 39, reproduces another Yosemite view attributed to Muybridge that employs the same sky negative used in the present lot.