Heading: (Photograph Album)
Author:
Title: Album of approximately 255 original photographs, most of California, with 20 of the 1915 Venice Grand Prix won by Barney Oldfield
Place Published: Various places
Publisher:
Date Published: c.1915
Description:

Approx. 242 photographs are about 8x10 cm (3x4"); 13 are 19.5x25 cm (7¾x9¾"), mounted on black leaves in an album, most with handwritten captions. Album is 24.5x31 cm (9¾x10¼"), flexible black cloth.

Exceptional photograph album chronicling a family's travels and observation, with many uncommon views, the most notable of which are undoubtedly the 20 photos of the first, and only, Venice Grand Prix, won by famed driver Barney Oldfield. Other views include 36 of Arizona, New Mexico and the southwest, many of those of the Grand Canyon; 67 of Southern California, including Riverside, San Diego, Redlands, Long Beach, and Los Angeles proper; 8 of Universal City; 6 of Santa Cruz; 36 of the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco; 20 of San Francisco itself; 33 of western scenes including the Feather River Canyon, the Royal Gorge, Manitou and Colorado Springs; 12 of Niagara Falls; and 2 of the Chicago Stock Yards. In addition, there are the 13 large photographs, which include the Tower of Jewels at the P.P.I.E. (both day and night views); Hermit's Rest at the Grand Canyon (both interior and exterior views); the Royal Gorge; an "Electric Service Station supplying San Francisco and Oakland 250 miles distant"; the Feather River Canyon; etc. As to the Venice Grand Prix, the views capture the action at what was projected to be one of the premier road racing events of its day, and perhaps it was, but financial circumstances made it the only Venice Grand Prix ever run. A crowd of some 75,000 gathered to watch the 17 drivers travel 300 miles on the 3.1 mile downtown course, won by legendary driver Barney Oldfield in Car #1, with Harry Grant, Eddie Hearne, John Marquis, Jim Parsons and other speed demons and daredevils. Reliability was more important than speed or panache, however, as only 8 of the 17 drives made it to the finish line, with the average speed of the 37-year-old winner a deliberate 68.5 miles per hour in his trusty Maxwell, the second place finisher, Billy Carlson, 41 seconds behind, also driving a Maxwell. While considered a success, despite the death of a riding mechanic during a practice lap, injuries to bystanders when a scoreboard toppled, and the death of an elderly spectator who wandered on to the course and was struck by a car, the city lost $10,000 due to gate crashing and the sale of 1000 counterfeit tickets by con men.There were 40,000 paid admissions, but thousands rushed the gates and sneaked in when ticket takers were unable to handle the large crowds.

Very good or better condition, nicer than generally found.