Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 528

Cabinet Card, Arches on Cliff Road, Santa Cruz, Taber

Estimate: $50 - $100
Starting Bid
$25

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A natural sandstone arch formation at the water's edge along Cliff Road in Santa Cruz, California, anchors this albumen cabinet card attributed to Isaiah West Taber of San Francisco. The image is catalogued as series number B 1366 in Taber's extensive Pacific Coast view inventory and was almost certainly produced in the 1880s, when Taber's studio at 8 Montgomery Street was the dominant publisher of California landscape views. The imprint reads "Taber Photo., San Francisco" in the lower right of the mount's title band.

The composition looks seaward across a tidal flat where scattered boulders and pooled water surround the base of the arch, two separate openings visible in the layered rock face. A long whitewashed fence runs along the clifftop road behind the formation, and a dense stand of conifers fills the horizon above it, their silhouette sharp against a pale open sky.

Isaiah West Taber operated his Photographic Parlors at 8 Montgomery Street opposite the Palace and Grand Hotels, and his View Department advertised the largest collection of Pacific Coast scenery available, encompassing Yosemite, the railroads, mining districts, and the Sandwich Islands. This coastal Santa Cruz view was part of that commercial landscape series.

The reverse bears the full Taber studio advertisement alongside a rubber-stamp impression reading "Frank H. Taylor, Artist and Publisher, 718 Arch Street, Philadelphia," with Taylor's ink signature written over it. A penciled notation at the upper left reads "12/26/74" with the number "Oaktah 057," and a manuscript note at right reads "signed a note below."

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