Description:

Offered here are two additional original old photographs of the old San Francisco Pilot Schooner California. These photos are black and white photos. To the best of my knowledge these original photos were taken in the 1950’s era or possibly sometime in the early 1960s? These two nice and interesting old original photographs were found recently in a box of old photos at a local sale in northern California. [Please view my other auctions to see two original old color photographs of the California that came from the same box.]

The first black and white glossy photo is an interesting photo of an actual model of the Pilot Schooner California. This model may possibly be located in the San Francisco Maritime Museum? There is a plaque on the front end of the base that is bordered by a miniature coiled rope. With magnification I can see a photo on the plaque that looks to be a small version of the 5x7 color engagement of the California that I am offering in a different auction. Under the photo there are three lines of print. With magnification I can read the first two lines which read: SAN FRANCISCO, Pilot Schooner. On the model the name of the ship is on both the bow and stern.

The back of the photo is back stamped with a stamp from a San Francisco photographic studio that reads: STONE AND STECCATI, PHOTOGRAPHERS, 325 PACIFIC AVENUE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. Note the absence of a zip code and the old Calif. five letter state abbreviation.

Stone and Steccati was a well known and respected San Francisco commercial photography studio that was in business from 1955 to 1989. The studio produced portraits of famous dignitaries, photographs of architectural properties and worked on advertising campaigns as well.

The second black and white photo is a good quality close-up photo of the California underway with her bow cutting through the waters of the San Francisco Bay. On here deck there are nine men. Three look to be crew members and the other six look to be VIPs who are along for the ride. To the best of my knowledge the waterfront buildings above the men on the right are some of the buildings of old Fort Mason?

The back of the second photo is back stamped with a stamp that reads: KNIGHT, 57 MAIN, SF 5. The number 5 was a postal city code that pre-dates zip codes. I have no information on the photographer. There is also a written name on the back that may be the name of a former owner.

If my research is correct the California was one of three pilot boasts serving in the San Francisco area. The other two were the Gracie S. and the Adventuress. The Adventuress was used as a shuttle to take pilots in and out to station. The Adventuress also carried supplies out to the other two ships that were station ships in the San Francisco Bar area of the Pacific to the west of the Golden Gate.

The California and the Gracie S. were both station pilot ships that spent five day on station and five days in port. These two Pilot Schooners when on station were always under sale and they only used their motors for going out and into the San Francisco Bay. This was being done apparently even in the 1930’s. The Adventuress serviced as a pilot boat from 1914 to 1952. I could not find the years the California served.

Size:

The photo of the model is 8” high by 10” wide.

The smaller photo 5” high by 7” wide.

Condition:

The Model Photo:

The photo has some light surface creases scattered about of which most do not break the paper surface. There are several across the bottom left corner. There are some old finger prints at the upper left corner that you can not see unless you turn the photo at an angle in the light. There is a short tear in the bottom right margin that goes about 1/16” in to the photo. Based on these items of condition I would say that the photo is in fair condition.

The Underway Photo:

Near the corners of this photo there are some light creases across the corners. Other then that the photo is in fair to good condition.

I have made every effort to show the photographs as they actually appear. Please note that depending on the settings of the viewer’s monitor/computer the illustrations with this auction may look darker or lighter then what they actually are.

If you have any questions please ask them before bidding as all my auction sales are final. By bidding on this auction the bidder acknowledges to have read my description and my terms of sale and terms of shipping.

Thanks for taking a look at this pair of interesting original black & white photographs of the old Pilot Schooner California that would make a nice addition to any collection or display.

This is a No Reserve Auction and “the winning bidder gets to take it home”.

Shipping & Handling For All US Postal Zones including Alaska and Hawaii:

$5.35 Shipping and Handling Priority Mail. The packed size of 8 by 10 photo in this auction will preclude the photos from being sent first class mail. As a courtesy to the buyer of this item I will pay the cost of insurance up to a value of $50.00.

Combined shipping available with the other two California photos.

Payment Methods & Shipping Schedule:

Credit Card Payments:

Presently I can take payments made by both Visa and Master Card credit cards.

When the ProPay Payment Service become available to all sellers, as promised by eBay, I will be also able to take payments from other credit card companies and to process credit card payments with more speed then what I can actually do now.

With payment by credit card the item will be mailed on or before the second business day after the payment has been credited.

California sales tax will increase on April 1st. The current rate as of that date will be 9.25% on sales made to California residents

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