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California Pioneer Gold Rush Presentation Buckle

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Mining Start Price:3,500.00 USD Estimated At:7,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
California Pioneer Gold Rush Presentation Buckle
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This bronze oversized buckle (4.25 x 4.5") was presented to Sam Hammond by his partners on February 24, 1849 just before he set sail for San Francisco, according to a label with the piece. "Presented to Sam Hammond by the old firm, Philad, Feb 24, 1849." From SM Dougell, W Stevens, G Bowman, WP Long, W Macklin, S Hoffman." Unique and quite interesting. Well worn through history.



The story behind this 1849 presentation buckle is very interesting, and is, in many ways, somewhat typical of many gold seekers and pioneers that went to California. Samuel Hammond was not a public figure. He worked at a business in Philadelphia that was not owned by him, and was friends with many of his co-workers, as evidenced by the engraved names on the buckle. He boarded the Barque Algoma at Philadelphia and left for California on March 1, 1849, as part of a company of sixteen men who had formed the Algoma Mining and Mercantile Co. The ship arrived in San Francisco on September 26, 1849, interestingly with no news in the local papers about any of the passengers, and only the Marine reporting the arrival of the ship. After that, Hammond, and any news of the Algoma Company is lost to history. There is a distinct possibility that Hammond and his Algoma company, who were the only listed passengers on the Barque Algoma, had hired that sailing ship (barque) and outfitted it full of provisions for sale in California. Once sold, they all went their separate ways. The Algoma continued to go back and forth to Philadelphia for several years.

Hammond is not listed in the 1850 San Francisco directory, the 1851 Sacramento directory, 1861 Placer Co. directory, and a newspaper search. Further, he does not show up in a US census after that time. Hammond was also not a member of the California Pioneers. This begs the question, “did he survive long in California?” He may be among the many that perished from the harsh physical and natural environment. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic and real California Pioneer item. It is proof-positive that Hammond came to California in 1849 from Philadelphia. Hammond is not listed in the Encyclopedia of American Biography, Bancroft’s History of California and other important works on California gold rush. State: California City: Date: 1849 FHWAC#: 38149