Lot 37: HOWARD CLINTON TIBBITTS (1863 - 1937), Panorama of Mariposa Grove, Yosemite. Toned gelatin silver continuous print on linen backing, ca. 1892-1906.

HOWARD CLINTON TIBBITTS (1863 - 1937), Panorama of Mariposa Grove, Yosemite. 20 ½ x 145 - inch toned gelatin silver continuous print on a linen backing, ca. 1892 - 1906. Tibbitts made numerous photographs of the West for the Southern Pacific Railroad, often published in Sunset magazine. His archive is in the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History at San Jose State University. More of his material is in other collections including the New Mexico Library.

It is a pleasure to unroll the panorama section by section. It could be framed. We see the trees, often individually named, several figures posed against them, and a wagon driving through a tunnel at the base of a tree. The small figure of Galen Clark, the resident guardian of the grove, is posed with his cabin visible behind. While all this seems spread out horizontally, Tibbitts' camera is rotating so this scene actually surrounds him. It is a pleasure to unroll the panorama section by section. It could be framed. We see the trees, often individually named, several figures posed against them, and a wagon driving through a tunnel at the base of a tree. The small figure of Galen Clark, the resident guardian of the grove, is posed with his cabin visible behind. While all this seems spread out horizontally, Tibbitts' camera is rotating so this scene actually surrounds him.

There are some very minor chips at the two extreme ends of the roll. The contents are otherwise rich. A similar panorama by Tibbitts sold at Sotheby's on April 28, 1999 for $35,050 (including premium.) [D4-]