A striking, whole plate, hand-tinted ambrotype portrait of an aged California argonaut? standing in a simple interior, likely an itinerant studio, ca 1855. The stout looking fellow wears a white, blousy shirt with a decorative scarf tied around his neck, blue-tinted pants -- perhaps denim -- held up by a belt adorned with a two-part "San Francisco" or "miner's" buckle showing an eagle with raised wings, and tall leather boots. He wears a distinct, long hairstyle topped by a wide-brimmed hat.. Gold mining was a tough, physical activity; it was a young man's game. Of the thousands who emigrated to California during the Gold Rush, the average age was around 36; our confidently posed subject appears to be in his 50s, if not later. And so, while he wears the garb of a miner, we wonder if he was an entrepeneur who made his wealth catering to the needs of the mining community. The subject of this remarkable image in sadly -- and maddeningly -- unidentified. Clearly his confident pose and relaxed demeanor suggest someone of accomplished means. A search of images in the California Society of Pioneers, as well as the holdings of the Oakland Museum and Bancroft Library failed to provide a definitive identification. And yet, we believe this fellow may be ultimately identified. The gentleman bears a resemblance to Edgar "Ned" Wakeman (1818-1875), a colorful sea captain who ventured West, from New York to California in 1849, and spent much of his life in Pacific Coastal Waters. Serving as skipper of the steamer America, a ship on which Samuel Clemens sailed from San Francisco to New York City ca 1866-1867, Wakeman became the inspiration for many of Clemens' fictional characters. While there is a resemblance between Wakeman and the aged miner, this identification cannot be confirmed. Cowan's is grateful for the assistance of Drew H. Johnson, Curator at the Oakland Museum, for his efforts in attempting to identify the subject of this compelling image. Condition: Housed in full case separated along hinge; with some light cracking in varnish, mostly throughout the perimeter of the plate.
A striking, whole plate, hand-tinted ambrotype portrait of an aged California argonaut? standing in a simple interior, likely an itinerant studio, ca 1855. The stout looking fellow wears a white, blousy shirt with a decorative scarf tied around his neck, blue-tinted pants -- perhaps denim -- held up by a belt adorned with a two-part "San Francisco" or "miner's" buckle showing an eagle with raised wings, and tall leather boots. He wears a distinct, long hairstyle topped by a wide-brimmed hat.. Gold mining was a tough, physical activity; it was a young man's game. Of the thousands who emigrated to California during the Gold Rush, the average age was around 36; our confidently posed subject appears to be in his 50s, if not later. And so, while he wears the garb of a miner, we wonder if he was an entrepeneur who made his wealth catering to the needs of the mining community. The subject of this remarkable image in sadly -- and maddeningly -- unidentified. Clearly his confident pose and relaxed demeanor suggest someone of accomplished means. A search of images in the California Society of Pioneers, as well as the holdings of the Oakland Museum and Bancroft Library failed to provide a definitive identification. And yet, we believe this fellow may be ultimately identified. The gentleman bears a resemblance to Edgar "Ned" Wakeman (1818-1875), a colorful sea captain who ventured West, from New York to California in 1849, and spent much of his life in Pacific Coastal Waters. Serving as skipper of the steamer America, a ship on which Samuel Clemens sailed from San Francisco to New York City ca 1866-1867, Wakeman became the inspiration for many of Clemens' fictional characters. While there is a resemblance between Wakeman and the aged miner, this identification cannot be confirmed. Cowan's is grateful for the assistance of Drew H. Johnson, Curator at the Oakland Museum, for his efforts in attempting to identify the subject of this compelling image. Condition: Housed in full case separated along hinge; with some light cracking in varnish, mostly throughout the perimeter of the plate.
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