Carleton E. Watkins

mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted, the photographer's New Series label affixed to the mount, the whole mounted to modern board, framed, 1876

Grading this albumen print on a scale of 1 to 10 – a 10 being a print with deep, rich brown dark tones and highlights that retain all their original detail – this print rates a 7. While the highlights appear to set forth the majority of their original detail, the dark areas lack the depth seen in a perfectly preserved albumen print. The photograph is in good condition. Close examination in raking light reveals several faint scuffs in the sky area that do not break the emulsion. Also visible in the sky area are: a faint 1.5 inch mark (possibly graphite), several small circular rust-colored spots, and a tiny indentation to the left of the uppermost steam engine. The photograph is lifting very slightly from the mount along the lower edge. The mount is affixed with tape or glue to a larger sheet of foamcore. The mount is stained and chipped at the edges.
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 full catalogue information for this lot is as follows:

mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted, the photographer's letterpress label, with the title, series number 1135, series title, and his '427 Montgomery St., S. F.' studio address, affixed to the mount, the whole mounted to modern board, matted, framed, 1876

 

Carleton Watkins photographed the famed Tehachapi Loop of the Southern Pacific Railroad in California's Kern County in 1876.  The Loop was heralded at the time of its completion as a marvel of modern engineering, and was necessitated by the railroad's precipitous change of elevation from the floor of the San Joaquin Valley to the Tehachapi Pass in the southern portion of the Sierra Nevada mountains.  The Watkins photograph offered here shows the Loop at that point where the engine of a train of typical length would pass over its freight cars.  Watkins made a number of mammoth-plate and stereo views of the Loop, including a view made from a distance in which he accentuated the course of the route with white dots made directly on the image (cf. Palmquist, pl. 61).