Lithographed map. 23.5x27.3 cm (9¼x10¾"); backed with linen.
This is the first printed map of Oakland, California. Warren Heckrotte comments: "Kellersberger was hired to survey and lay out the town and prepare a map... My copy is reproduced in Reps, Cities of the American West, plate 6.20... Shortly after I purchased this, I was in John Howell Books and mentioned to Warren Howell that I had gotten this map. His response was: 'That's a very rare map, but not many people are interested in maps of Oakland.'" This copy with an ink notation in blank portion at upper right, "This is worth keeping. The border of houses etc. has been cut off by my father Capt Thos. Wall while supervising a census in the 70s. B.P Wall, 1920." However, there was no border on this map, Mr. Wall was in error. There are light pencil x's on many of the blocks, and a line drawn across the left side of the map, perhaps from use during the census. The map was acquired by the Bancroft Library in 1935, with acquisition rubberstamp in upper margin, withdrawn stamp in upper blank portion of map and on verso; call number label at lower left. OCLC/WorldCat lists only two copies, at the University of California Berkeley, and the Oakland Public Library.
Provenance: R. Burger, 9/82
References: Studer, California Historical Society Quarterly, 3/68, 3/69. ( Rep ). Reps, Cities of the American West, plate 6.20 ( Rep this copy). Vogdes, p 211, but mistakenly puts date at 1860. Bancroft Library copy has wide blank margins.
Condition:
Some staining at top of map affecting a portion of the title but not the map proper; top right corner torn off affecting border; two small stains at at right, one in the bay, the other on land; some faint foxing; very good.