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Bodie District Mining Map

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Mining Start Price:1,750.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 6,000.00 USD
Bodie District Mining Map
SOLD
4,250.00USD+ (956.25) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2015 Apr 10 @ 14:38UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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This spectacular wall map is arguably one of the most sought-after pieces from Bodie. We were only able to find four such pieces in either private or institutional collections, including this one. This classic "Map of/Bodie/Mining District/Mono Co. California/ Surveyed and Compiled by/C.L. Anderson, C.E./Illustrated and Published By/Edward Eysen./1880/Lith. M. Schmidt & Co. 411 Clay St./San Francisco/For Sale By/Payot, Upham & Co.,/Stationers,/ San Francisco, Cal." The main body is a plan view map of various claims and mill sites at a scale of 1" = 300'. Printed near the lower right corner is "Notice/Claims only which have been properly located on/the ground and surveyed are represented on this map./A table published separately from this map gives/the dates of Location and Record for each claim./Numbers marked near Shafts, Peaks, etc., indicate the altitudes of the respective localities in feet." This indicates that the author of the map used only those claims surveyed by a US Mineral Surveyor. Near the upper center of the main body is noted: "We certify we have examined this map/and have found the respective claims we represent/to be correctly shown," followed by the signature of 12 mine superintendants covering a total of nearly 30 mines.



Below the main body is a birdseye view, "General View of Bodie Mining District/Showing the Western Slope of the Main Range Extending from North to South." This guide to the town uses reference numbers to identify a number of mills and mines in tables located to the left (No. 1-14) and right (No. 15-28) of the view.



The border surrounding the central map and underlying birdseye view shows 28 mining-related illustrations, starting at center top and moving clockwise: Noonday Mill & Mine and Silver Hill, University and Maryland Mines, Queen Bee Mine, Champion Hoisting Works, Booker Mine, J & K Mine, South Noonday Mine, The Bodie Foundry, Mine, Goodshaw Hoisting Works, King Bee Tunnel, Dudley Hoisting Works, Defiance Hoisting Works, Con. Pacific Mine, Syndicate Hill, Tioga Mine, Jupiter Hoisting Works, Belvidere Mine, Gipsy Queen, The Bodie Tunnel, South Bulwer Hoisting Works, Mono County Bank, Original Summit, South Standard Mine, Black Hawk Mine, McClinton Mine, The Oro Mine, and The Bodie and Mono Mines. Printed near the center bottom border is "H. Walker & Co., Framers, Map, Charts Board Mounted."



The height of the Bodie boom took place around 1880, the year this piece was produced. According to some estimates, the population reached 10,000 at the town's peak, which "supported between forty and fifty mines and ten mills, aggregating 162 stamps…"[Ref: Gudde, 1975, pp. 42] "The official returns from the mines of this county show an excess of production over any other county...This large yield of nearly $3,000,000 is reported by nine mines. In Bodie district are the chief mines of the county and some of the largest in the state. There are returns from from the Standard Consolidated, Bodie Consolidated, Bulwer Consolidated, Noonday, and North Noonday. The Standard Consolidated is this year the banner mine of California, standing at the head of its many famous mines" [Ref: Burchard, 1880, pp.38].



This piece appears to have been originally produced on 4 sheets, and has been professionally restored, repaired, and mounted. The map itself remains mounted to a dark wood holder at top and matching roller on the bottom. Measures 42" x 60", matted on beige/light brown cloth. In simple, dark wooden frame (74" x 49" x 3") with plexiglass cover. Multiple tears, foldlines, and areas of discoloration are visible. Other small areas appear to have been repaired, and have been "colored in," but the map details were not replaced. Very fine piece overall, although stained.

City: Bodie
State: California,
Date: 1880

FHWAC#: 27717