H26.16
The Independent Gold Hunter on his Way to California
c. 1850
14.5 in HIGH x 10.5 in WIDE
(36.83 cm HIGH x 26.67 cm WIDE)
(36.83 cm HIGH x 26.67 cm WIDE)
Oakland Museum of California; Charles P. Wilcomb Collection
H26.16
On exhibit, 19th century gallery, 9/28, MG
Picture, Forty-niner. Independent gold seeker.
From the History Information Station:
Object: Lithograph. "The Independent Gold Hunter on his Way to California." Lithographed by Kellog and Comstock, New York and Hartford; printed by Ensign & Taylor, Buffalo, ca. 1850.
Miners travelling the overland route to California often carried an astonishing array of gear, a tendency lampooned in this lithograph. Aside from the ubiquitous pick and shovel, this well-equipped forty-niner cheerfully strolls across the plains carrying an assortment of cooking pots, sausages, whiskey, gold scales, and a battery of weapons. The popular illustration was widely pirated in violation of copyright laws; several versions exist, including one in German.
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