An early printed panoramic photograph of San Francisco ablaze during the fire that swept the city following the 1906 earthquake, curiously produced by the Dunlop rubber company, with "Compliments of the Dunlop Rubber Co. of Aus. Ltd" at bottom left. With the photograph showing their building safe and sound while the rest of the city burns, it is possible the implication is the resilience of their products. The original photograph was taken on the 18th April, the day of the earthquake, and was captured from the St Francis Hotel by Arthur Clarence Pillsbury (1870-1946). Pillsbury had worked for the San Francisco Examiner as a photojournalist from 1903 to March 1906, and, though at the time of the earthquake he had left to establish the Pillsbury Picture Company in Oakland, he still had his press pass. Using this pass and his personal contacts with policeman, Pillsbury was able to access parts of the city which were off limits to civilians while the authorities tried to control the blaze, resulting in unparalleled documentary evidence - and particularly arresting shots - of the destruction. Pillsbury is also remembered for his landscapes of Yosemite National Park, and his pioneering time lapse photographs of flowers. The panorama was sold by the photographer's Pillsbury Picture Company, who advertised it as the only panorama of burning San Francisco. The panorama was part of over 300 photographs of the earthquake and fire which the company were offering for sale within a month (see, for example, their advertisement in Camera Craft, vol. XII, May 1906, preceding p. 150). In this example the photograph has been edited, so that the Dunlop building has their name and slogan on the side - Dunlop presumably commissioned an edited form of the panorama from Pillsbury in the aftermath of the general issue, for use as promotion. The original photograph is displayed on the Library of Congress website (item 2007660561). Panoramic photograph, printed in colour (added to original photograph in production), in original dark grey card mount, 88 cm x 22 cm. In dark brown oak frame with conservation acrylic glazing, 92 x 26 cm. Mount a little worn at edges, a few trivial scratches to image; in good condition.
