L. W. Currey, Inc.

FAGERSTEEN, GUSTAVUS. [Yosemite Valley] North Dome height 3568 ft. Albumen print. Yosemite Valley, Cal. Gustav Fagersteen, n.d. 15.3 x 9.6 cm (5 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches). Title in the negative strip along the bottom edge and stock number 226 in the negative as well. Photographer's stamp on the verso of mount: "Photographed by / Gustav Fagersteen, / Yosemite Valley, Cal." Gustavus Fagersteen (c. 1831-c.1890) moved to California in 1871. He was active in the Yosemite region from 1876 through 1890 and, for a time, was associated, in some loose partnership, with S. C. Walker, a photographer based in Stockton, California. Both Fagersteen and Walker "had been assistant photographers for J. J. Reilly; many of their [stereo] cards are Hazeltine mounts and images overprinted 'Successors to M. M. Hazeltine, Photographed by Walker & Fagersteen.' [Hazeltine] operated out of Stockton, 1868-1878, issuing stereoviews alone and in association with J. J. Reilly" (Mautz). Fagersteen operated his own studio in Yosemite Valley from 1886 through 1889. He produced photographic views of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa big tree grove in 4x6 and 6x9 inch formats, as well as a very small quantity of stereoscopic cards. His main output appears to have consisted of posed photographs of early tourists visiting Yosemite. Closed tear at bottom edge of the mount the extends 15 mm into the lower edge of the print, else very good. (#164950).