Fine Early Birdseye View of San Diego

Extremely rare two-stone tinted-lithograph view of San Diego, made by California's greatest view maker, Eli Sheldon Glover, in 1876. The view was published by Schneider and Kueppers of San Diego and lithographed by A.L. Bancroft & Company of San Francisco.

The note in the lower-left corner reads: "Showing the central portion of the city, with the actual improvements; San Diego Bay and Peninsula, the Entrance to the Harbor, Point Loma and the Los Coronados Islands, twenty miles distant in the Pacific Ocean." The note in the lower-right corner reads: "The County Seat of San Diego County and the proposed Terminus of the Texas Pacific Railroad. Present population, about 4,000. A thriving commercial town; publishes two newspapers, the "San Diego Union" and "World," weekly and daily editions."

E.S. Glover, received favorable comment in the San Diego Union for May of 1876 as a “talented artist” who “has taken a very fine sketch of San Diego.” Looking southwest across the bay, Glover depicted the city in minute detail showing even such small structures as sheds and windmills. In the distance the peninsula of Coronado lies almost vacant of buildings, while farther out the Point Loma Lighthouse stands watch at the harbor entrance.

This is one of the earliest bird’s-eye views of San Diego. Reps notes two earlier views, known in a single copy, one by Higgins and one by George Baker.

There are at least two states of Glover's view.

• State 1: Erroneous imprint: “Drawn by E.S. Clover [sic] and Published by Schneider and & [sic] Kueppers, San Diego.”
• State 2: Imprint corrected. Cowboy on horseback trying to lasso three cows in foreground at lower right added.

Rarity

All versions of the view are extremely rare on the market.

Appendix: Key

The view includes the following 24 listed landmarks: