Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-24 11:00:00 2026-06-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574
Our June 2026 auction presents a focused and exceptional selection of historical photographs spanning the 1840s through the early twentieth century, with unusual depth in named subjects, rare formats, and documented provenance anchored by strong vernacular material that rewards close looking.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 287

Cabinet Card, Maple Syrup Delivery Wagon, Hardesty, Los Angeles

Estimate: $300 - $500
Starting Bid
$150

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $5,000
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A man driving a horse-drawn delivery wagon marked "Maple Syrup" is photographed on an unpaved Los Angeles street in this cabinet card by Hardesty, Los Angeles, California, dating to the 1880s or early 1890s. The outdoor setting, dirt road, and commercial buildings visible in the background place this firmly within the documentary street photography tradition, and the legible product signage on the wagon identifies this as a promotional or occupational portrait of a working tradesman.

The driver sits upright on the wagon seat wearing a dark suit and bowler hat, holding the reins of a dark horse in full harness. A painted sign on the wagon's side panel reads "Maple Syrup" in clearly legible lettering, with a partially visible additional label at center. In the background a corner commercial building displays a sign reading "Wood Coal Hay & Grain," and a large willow or pepper tree frames the right side of the scene. The street is wide, unpaved, and dusty.

Street and occupational cabinet cards from early Los Angeles are historically significant documents of the city's commercial landscape during its rapid growth period following the arrival of the transcontinental railroad in 1876. Views combining identified trade vehicles with legible street-level signage from this period are particularly sought after as primary visual records of the city's early commercial life. The subject is unidentified.

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