Carte de visite albumen photograph depicting William Shew, shown standing in a formal studio interior, posed beside his upholstered studio chair and draped curtain. The image presents Shew as a mature man with full white beard and mustache, dressed in a dark three-piece suit with bow tie, conveying a composed and professional demeanor. The pose, setting, and confident presentation are consistent with a self-portrait by an established photographer rather than a commercial client likeness.

The mount bears the printed imprint on the verso: “W. M. Shew, 423 Montgomery Street, San Francisco.” Shew was a prominent San Francisco photographer active from the early 1860s through the late nineteenth century, best known for his portrait work and for documenting the gold fields North of San francisco. The photograph dates to approximately 1865–1875, aligning with the period when Shew operated from this Montgomery Street address. A later cabinet card portrait of Shew is shown for comparison only and is not included with this lot.

Albumen print on standard carte de visite mount. Condition is typical for the format, with light toning and minor surface wear to the mount, consistent with age and handling. A strong, well-documented example of a nineteenth-century photographer’s self-representation, firmly attributable and clearly tied to one of San Francisco’s important early photographic studios.