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 553

Stereoview, Old Man of the Mountain, Yosemite Valley

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

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 view titled "Old man of the mountain from Mirror Lake" anchors this albumen stereoview from the Yosemite Valley series published by Surdam & White of 305 Broadway, New York. The twin images capture a massive granite dome rising dramatically above a treeline of mixed conifers, its pale face streaked with snow at mid-elevation, the composition framed by tall pines on both flanks. The mount carries the publisher's distinctive green card stock with vertical serif lettering on both borders identifying the series as "Yosemite Valley, California."

A low-pitched wood-plank roof of a valley cabin occupies the middle ground, flanked by a scattered field of large granite boulders. A lone figure is seated among the rocks just left of center, providing scale against the massive formation above. The foreground is open and rocky, the sky a pale, cloudless expanse above the granite peak.

Surdam & White operated from 305 Broadway in New York and issued numbered Yosemite views likely during the late 1860s to early 1870s, a period of intense commercial interest in western landscape stereoviews following the valley's federal protection in 1864.

The recto bears the series title and number "No. 19" printed below the right image panel. The reverse carries a penciled catalog notation reading "000018 / 98090."

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