A stunning collection of 20 stereoviews depicting the Sierra Nevada mountain range, including images of Yosemite National Park, ca. 1872. All are on yellow mounts with the same backmark for the Kilburn Brothers of Littleton, New Hampshire. 

Comprised of Benjamin (1827-1909) and Edward (1830-84), the Kilburn Brothers first stereoviews were produced in 1865. However, it is wildly attributed that Benjamin took most, if not all, of the photographs during their joint venture before 1876; the following year, Edward retired from photography. This makes sense if Benjamin was the sole photographer and also went mountaineering by himself in 1872 around the Sierra Nevadas to produce these images. 

When Edward retired in 1877, Benjamin continued to take stereoscopic photographs, eventually opening his own studio. In addition to acquiring exclusive rights to sell stereoviews of World's Fair images, Kilburn documented the presidential inauguration of Grover Cleveland, the Johnstown Flood in Pennsylvania, the Boer War, the Boxer Rebellion and the Spanish–American War. He is also remembered for inventing the photo gun camera, removing the need for a tripod while out taking photos. 

The images in this lot include: 

1. No. 935. Cathedral Peak, Yosemite, Cal. Modern ink inscriptions to mount verso. 

2. 951. Cathedral Peak, Yosemite Valley, Cal. 

3. No. 969. Mono Lake, Cal. 

4. No. 976. Mono Lake, California. 

5. No. 980. Yosemite Valley from South Dome, Cal. 

6. No. 971. Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. 

7. No. 960 Mt Hoffman, Yosemite Cal. 

8. No. 921. Nevada Falls, Yosemite, Cal. 

9. No. 931. Mt. Hoffman, Yosemite, Cal. 

10. No. 942. Mt. Star King, Yosemite, Cal. 

11. No. 937. Cap of Liberty, Yosemite, Cal. 

12. 970. Camping Out, California. Period ink inscription to mount verso. 

13., 14. and 15. No. 964 Register Rock, Yosemite Cal. One features a smudged provenance stamp to mount verso. One features a small pasted advertisement to mount verso. 

16. No. 923. Nevada Falls, Yosemite, Cal. 

17. No. 982. Fort Point and Golden Gate, San Francisco, Cal. 

18. No. 925, Yosemite Fall, Yosemite Cal. Modern pencil inscription potentially identifying subjects to mount verso. 

19. No. 944. Mt Clark, Yosemite Cal. 

20. 961. North and South Domes, Yosemite Valley, Cal. Period ink inscription to mount verso. 

[Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards] [Western Americana, Western History, Western Expansion, Wild West] 

Varying conditions. Please inquire for more information.