American Historical Ephemera and Photography

A collection comprised of more than 300 photographs ranging in size from approx. 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 in. to 4 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. The consignor relates that the photos were carefully removed from the decaying album in which they were originally housed and placed on modern album pages with all information written in the original album transferred to the modern album. Clear envelopes and corner triangles are used to display the photos on the modern album pages.

The original album, which is included with the lot, is identified on the inside cover to "C.A. Plummer, Amateur Photographer, Oct. 17, 1884," with a partial image of Plummer mounted below. Presumably, Plummer produced many of the photographs offered here.

A remarkable combination of photographs are enclosed, with many documenting the Turk Island Salt Works and other salt businesses in California, as well as hunting excursions, camp scenes, landscape views, family gatherings, parades, family portraits, and more.

Highlighted photographs include: More than 35 photos documenting the Alameda County salt industry, including views of Turk Island Salt Works, Union Pacific Salt Works and Crystal Salt Works. -- Numerous photographs of C.A. Plummer and his family, highlighted by at least 2 images of Plummer with his camera in the field. A curious image identified as "J.A. Plummer Camp, dated 1884, appears to depict some type of makeshift studio where photographs were being taken. -- "Spirit Photograph" of the "Dry Creek Pioneer Reunion" with ghostly images of a group of men "floating" over several people gathered together in front of a home. -- 2 photographs of a "Republican Barbecue" at Riverside Grove in 1884, showing a large crowd of white and African American citizens gathered together for the event. -- Scenic views of various canyons, creeks, lakes, and beaches near Alameda, CA, including Alameda Creek, Niles Canyon, and Calaveras Valley. Several of the views include Plummer family members and friends, most notably a scene of women and children of varying ages swimming and fishing at Alameda Canyon. -- At least 2 photographs of the wine vault building at Irvington, CA. -- Occupational view of workers from an Alameda stove foundry. -- 2 photographs taken in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, including the Lizzie Bourne monument and Frankenstein Trestle. -- Multiple images of duck hunters out on the salt works, as well as a view of an African American man overseeing the game from a hunt captioned, "The last shot of the season on the salt works, Pacific Life Gun Club," dated 1888. -- A photograph of the Plummer Brothers' yacht called the "Lizzie Adams." -- A portrait of a large group of aged men identified as the "Alameda Pioneers." -- Multiple views of a GAR parade in 1886. -- 2 photographs of a group of young men identified as the "Bay City Cycle Club." -- 2 images of a hydraulic mining operation in Amador County, CA. -- Multiple views of the 1892-1893 flood at the Turks Island Salt Works.

In the latter part of the 19th century, Charles A. Plummer, along with his father John and brother John Jr., became a leading salt manufacturer in Alameda County, California. The Plummer family established the Turk Island Salt Works in 1868 near Alvarado at the mouth of Alameda Creek, and within ten years, they had the second largest salt operation in Washington Township, one of the county’s six principalities. The family remained in the salt business until around 1925. The California Historical Society houses a collection of photographs of the Alameda County salt industry produced and compiled by Charles A. Plummer, many of which are identical to the images offered here. (Information obtained from the California Historical Society website, 4 October 2024).