Britton & Rey (1852 – 1906) was a lithographic printing firm based in San Francisco and founded by Joseph Britton and Jacques Joseph Rey in 1852. Especially during the second half of the 19th century, Britton and Rey became the leading lithography firm in San Francisco, and probably California. Among their many publications were birds-eye-views of Californian cities, depictions of the exquisite landscapes, stock certificates, and no least maps. While Rey was the primary artist, Britton worked not only as the main lithographer but was essentially also the man running the business. In addition to their own material, the firm reproduced the works of other American artists like Thomas Almond Ayres (1816 – 1858), George Holbrook Baker (1824 – 1906), Charles Christian Nahl (1818 – 1878), and Frederick August Wenderoth (1819 – 1884). Following Rey’s death in 1892 Britton passed the form on to Rey’s son, Valentine J. A. Rey, who ran it until the great earthquake and fire of 1906 destroyed most of the company’s assets.
Joseph Britton (1825 – July 18, 1901) was a lithographer and the co-founder of the prominent San Francisco lithography studio Britton and Rey. He was also a civic leader in San Francisco, serving on the Board of Supervisors and helping to draft a new city charter. In 1852, he became active in lithography and publishing, first under the name ‘Pollard and Britton,’ and then ‘Britton and Rey,’ a printing company founded with his friend and eventual brother-in-law Jacques Joseph Rey. Britton and Rey became the premier lithographic and engraving studio of the Gold Rush era, producing letter sheets, maps, and artistic prints.
Jacques Joseph Rey (1820 – 1892) was a French engraver and lithographer born in the Alsatian town of Bouxwiller. At the age of about 30, he emigrated to America, eventually settling in California. Here, he soon entered into a partnership with local entrepreneur and civic leader Joseph Britton. Three years later, Rey also married Britton’s sister, allowing his business partner and brother-in-law Britton to live in their house with them. Rey and Britton were not only an important part of the San Francisco printing and publishing scene but also owned a plumbing and gas-fitting firm. In the early years, both men would sometimes partner up with others on specific projects, but by the late 1860s, their partnership was more or less exclusive.
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- Atlases & Books, California, San Francisco
Artistic Homes of California.
- $12,500
- The most extensive collection of pre-1906 Bay Area architectural masterpieces.
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- San Francisco
Map of the Ocean Shore Lands. Sutro Baths & Museum Sutro Heights.
- $875
- A large Britton & Rey cartographic advertisement for Sutro’s shore-lands.
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- San Francisco
Official Map Of The City Of San Francisco, California. Published by Josiah J. LeCount…Approved By Geo. R. Turner City & County Surveyor
- $12,500
- The definitive Silver Rush plan of a new and expanded San Francisco.
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- San Francisco Bay Area & Silicon Valley
Map of the County of San Mateo California Compiled from the County Records by Davenport Bromfield, Civil Engineer, Ex-County Surveyor, 1910.
- $8,000
- Before Silicon Valley: a stunning, large-scale 1910 map of San Mateo County.
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- Marin, Sonoma, & Napa Valley
Map of the City of Benicia Founded By Mariano G. Vallejo, Thomas O. Larking & Robert Semple 1847 Surveyed & Drawn By Benjamin Barlow City & County Surveyor.
- $4,400
- Barlow’s rare and pioneering map of Benicia - the earliest comprehensive plan of one of California’s first state capitals.
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- Bird's-eye-views, Marin, Sonoma, & Napa Valley, Rare Maps of Curiosities - Miscellanea
U.S. Navy Yard. At Mare Island, California.
- $3,500
- Early view of the U.S. Navy Yard at Mare Island, with Marin and Mount Tamalpais in the background.
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- California, San Francisco
Past & Present of California.
- $975
- The elusive ‘Elephant’ pictorial letter sheet of life in California.
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- San Francisco
Map of the Outside Lands of the City and County of San Francisco Showing Reservations Selected for Public Purposes, under the Provisions of Order No. 800
- $3,800
- Mapping the Outside Lands - a foundational map for the history of San Francisco.
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- San Francisco
5-sheet set showing San Francisco’s post-1906 earthquake water supply [SF’s first fireboat!]
- $8,500
- Four technical maps focussing on urban infrastructure and water supply and one engineering blueprint for a new fireboat, together reflecting San Francisco's coordinated response to the devastation of the 1906 earthquake. With an interesting provenance.
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- Bird's-eye-views, San Francisco Bay Area & Silicon Valley
Bird’s Eye View of the Famous Santa Clara Valley Looking Southerly from San Francisco
- $2,400
- A rare and dramatic bird's-eye-view of Santa Clara Valley.
Archived
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- California
Map of Town Site and Hot Springs of El Paso de Robles.
- Likely the earliest specific map of Paso Robles.
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- Bird's-eye-views, San Francisco
Birdseye View of San Francisco and Surrounding Country.
- Goddard’s rare and remarkable view of San Francisco, Marin, and the East Bay.
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- San Francisco
[With Municipal Report] Montgomery Avenue: Showing the land condemned, buildings destroyed, frontage on each block, profile of grade, and district to be assessed.
- The changing face of a growing city: the creation map for Columbus Avenue, bound in its original municipal report.
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- Marin, Sonoma, & Napa Valley
Bird’s Eye View of the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County, California.
- One of the earliest views of Petaluma.
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- Rare City Plans, San Francisco
Map Showing Property of South San Francisco Land and Improvement Co at South San Francisco, San Mateo County, California
- A large-format urban plan of South San Francisco.
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- San Francisco
Map Showing Golden Gate Park, the Avenue and Buena Vista Park. Scale 400 ft. to 1 inch.
- This lovely early example of Britton & Rey’s iconic plan of Golden Gate Park is an anchor of San Franciscan identity: It speaks to us about origins and progress, urban renewal and civil rights, and is ultimately a testimony to the city’s grand but turbulent history.
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- Rare City Plans, San Francisco
Britton & Rey’s Guide Map of the City of San Francisco. 1887. Copyright. (with) Index to Street Guide Map of San Francisco, Cal. by Britton & Rey
- Unusual 1887 Britton & Rey map of San Francisco with a rare depiction of the Bay District Racing Track.
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- California
Britton and Rey’s Reduced Map of the State of California
- A lovely 19th-century map of California with up-to-date survey work, including railroads.
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- Featured Maps & Views, San Francisco
The New California Sugar Refinery, San Francisco.
- The New California Sugar Refinery: an emblem of late 19th century industrial San Francisco.
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- San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area & Silicon Valley
Map Exhibiting the Salt Marsh, Tide and Submerged Lands Disposed of by the State of California in and Adjacent to the Bays of San Francisco and San Pablo and now Subject to Reclamation Prepared from Maps of the U.S. Coast Survey & Official Records by Order of the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for the United States Commissioners on San Francisco Harbor…
- The power of private enterprise in America: a rare and important map of the San Francisco Bay Tide Lands, showcasing ambitions behind the city’s development.
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- San Francisco
1906 Britton & Rey’s Map of Greater San Francisco Showing Burned District
- Unrecorded map of the destruction in San Francisco, published soon after the earthquake and fire.
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- Marin, Sonoma, & Napa Valley, Rare City Plans
Lands In and Near San Rafael Marin County Cal. Owned by John W. Mackay and Jas. L. Flood. Formerly known as the Coleman Tract
- A rarity of Marin County: 19th century San Rafael silver baron map.
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- San Francisco
Map of the avenue leading to Golden Gate Park showing the proposed plan of improvement, together with that of the entrance to the park
- Golden Gate Park takes shape: 1872 map of the Panhandle by William Hammond Hall.
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- San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area & Silicon Valley
Map showing sources and lines of Water Supply proposed for the City of San Francisco 1877
- Sustaining a growing city - detailed proposal map for supplying water to San Francisco.
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- San Francisco
Map of San Francisco, Showing the location of the different Distributing Reservoirs of The Spring Valley Water Works And the Districts supplied by each.
- Where different San Francisco neighborhoods get their water - Spring Valley Water Works reservoir distribution map.
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- San Francisco
Map showing changes on the Water Front of the City and County of San Francisco made by proposed Thoroughfare and System of Piers. T. J. Arnold. Chief Engineer of Board of State Harbor Commissioners.
- Constructing San Francisco’s Embarcadero - 1877 map of proposed changes to the waterfront.
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- San Francisco
Map Showing the Water Front of the City and County of San Francisco. as established by the Board of State Harbor Commissioners, the Governor of the State of California, and the Mayor of the City & County of San Francisco. September 12th, 1877.
- Large 1877 map of the San Francisco waterfront.
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- California, Wall maps
Official Map of Sacramento County, California. Compiled from Official Surveys by J. C. Boyd, County Surveyor. 1903
- Fabulous turn-of-the-century property map of Sacramento County.
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- San Francisco
Map Of San Francisco Showing The Water Service Of Spring Valley Water Works. Distributing Reservoirs, Districts Supplied By Each And Location Of Principal Distributing Mains, Contour Lines, Showing Elevation Above Water & Fire Department And Fire Patrol Buildings.
- Important pre-1906 earthquake water system map of San Francisco.
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- San Francisco
City and County of San Francisco compiled from official surveys and sectioned in accordance with U.S. surveys
- Rare 1861 first edition of Wackenreuder's famous map of San Francisco.
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- San Francisco
Map Showing Property of South San Francisco Land and Improvement Co at South San Francisco, San Mateo County, California
- Detailed 1907 Britton & Rey lithograph of South San Francisco.
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- California
Britton & Rey’s Reduced Map of the State of California…With Additions Showing the Railroad System of California
- Britton & Rey 1871 railroad map of California.
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- Rare City Plans, San Francisco
Map of the City of San Francisco Published by Britton & Rey
- Never-folded mid-19th century map of San Francisco by Britton and Rey.
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