California souvenir playing cards. . . .

San Francisco, CA: R.J. Waters, 110 Sutter Street, [1900]. 12mo. 2.5 x 3.5 in. Fifty-four playing cards, 53 w/ colour-tinted photographic images on rectos, colour printed California poppies & state seal on versos, 1 printed title card “Places of Interest,” a.e.g. Original sleeved slipcase, burgundy-coloured, gilt lettering on lid sleeve, additional Jack card w/ “Live Oak” photo illustration mounted on back side of pack (some edgewear, rubbing), still F/VG set. Complete set of these remarkable California Victorian souvenir playing cards featuring memorable photographs by Waters from across the state. The images encompass the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, several of the Shasta Route, Pasadena’s Mt. Lowe Observatory and Mt. Lowe Incline Railway, many views in and around Los Angeles, San Francisco, Yosemite, as well as UC Berkeley, Napa Valley vineyards, and the geysers of Sonoma County. These were touted by Bret Harte in the 1899 Overland Monthly as one of the most interesting gifts that could be selected for the holidays. Waters (b. 1865) initially operated a studio in Nevada before opening at 110 Sutter St. in San Francisco in 1892, and was very successful in selling his images through albums, publications, and souvenir playing cards such as these. Worldcat locates similar set at Yale; See: Bret Harte, The Overland Monthly, November, 1899, p. 22 of publisher’s advertisements.