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California Gold
Named collection: Allan Forbes Collection
Object type: lithograph
Maker: Currier, Nathaniel
Place made: United States, New York
Date made: 1838-1856
Materials: ink; paper; yellow color wash
Measurements: 11 1/2 in x 17 1/2 in
Nomenclature: cartoons
Classification: whales
Comic lithograph depicting a man sitting atop a giant gold nugget in a boat, which is drawn by a spouting sperm whale. The man sits under an umbrella and holds the whale's reins. From his mouth comes a speech bubble; the text inside reads, "I'll be darned to darnation if this haint the greatest Blower I ever did drive in harness any how -- I rather think he goes his mile a leetle inside of one minit; what a darned fool I was not to take some passengers--they'd have paid the expenses praps and maybe a leetle more." Printed in lower margin are the artist attributions, the title, and a subtitle, "An accurate drawing of the famous hill of gold, which has been put into a scow by the owner, and attached to a Sperm Whale who is now engaged in towing it around the Horn, for New York.__"
AF-CA-0600