1851 “San Francisco, Upper California” Lettersheet by Britton & Rey

This is a pictorial lettersheet view of the city and harbor of San Francisco. This lithograph was printed on grey wove paper, across a double sheet, by famed lithographers Britton & Rey in 1851. The image is a view of San Francisco from Nob Hill east to the Bay. Telegraph Hill is to the left and a Methodist church is depicted in the center foreground. In the background, ships fill the bustling harbor. This was a very popular view, and copies are found with the Quirot imprint as well as the Britton & Rey variant. This impression, with Britton & Rey imprint, is more difficult to find than the Quirot imprint.  The Britton & Rey firm of lithographers was the oldest west of the Rocky Mountains. They were based in San Francisco and produced a prodigious body of early California views. Very early on, Britton and Rey earned a reputation for consistently excellent workmanship. In his long article in California on Stone (pp. 62-89, author Baird comments that the partnership of Br