Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Spring Photographic History Auction

Sat, May 3, 2025 01:00PM EDT
  2025-05-03 13:00:00 2025-05-03 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : Spring Photographic History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/spring-photographic-history-auction-19217
Raw, rare, and unforgettable—this is 19th- and early 20th-century photography at its best. Vernacular portraits, Native American warriors, African American resilience, Mormon pioneers, Western frontier families, and stark post-mortem scenes. Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDVs, and cabinet cards that capture real life without filters. Every image tells a story of survival, pride, and change. A museum-worthy collection for those who know real American history when they see it.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 324

3 Stereoviews of Salt Lake City and the Mormon Tabernacle

Estimate: $200 - $300
Starting Bid
$100

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Group of three original stereoviews documenting the grandeur and historical significance of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two of the views capture the vast interior of the newly built Tabernacle, with one showing the interior festooned with floral garlands and bunting, likely for a major celebration or dedication. These views were published by C.W. Carter and C.R. Savage, two of the most prominent photographers in Utah Territory during the 19th century. Both images showcase the impressive organ and the sweeping rows of pews that gave the Tabernacle its unmatched acoustic and visual drama.

The third view offers a rare exterior look at the massive domed structure, identified on the mount as the "New Tabernacle." It was photographed and published by Savage & Ottinger, with their imprint on the vividly colored green mount. Visible are the long colonnade of columns and the surrounding trees lining the tabernacle’s footprint. This image provides critical visual context to the scale and architectural ambition of the building.

A companion group of three additional stereoviews complements the previous set, offering further documentation of the Mormon Tabernacle and Utah's developing landscape. One of these shows another striking view of the Tabernacle’s massive exterior, published by E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. of New York. Also included is an impressive scenic view of the Old Mill at American Fork Canyon, published by C.R. Savage and mounted on bright orange stock. The final view in this trio is of the famous “1000 Mile Tree” in Upper Weber Canyon along the Union Pacific line, a landmark used to mark the distance from Omaha.

Together, these six stereoviews provide an exceptional visual narrative of Utah’s early religious and infrastructural landmarks—capturing both the sacred architecture of the Latter-day Saints and the dramatic wilderness scenery that framed the westward expansion. All mounts retain strong color and period imprints; minor corner wear, light handling soil, and occasional foxing present, but overall a strong and coherent group ideal for collectors of Utah history, railroad ephemera, or early Western photography.

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