North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Timeless Treasures: 19th C. Native, Western Photographs & French Elegance

Sat, Sep 13, 2025 11:00AM EDT
  2025-09-13 11:00:00 2025-09-13 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : Timeless Treasures: 19th C. Native, Western Photographs & French Elegance https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/timeless-treasures-19th-c-native-western-photographs-french-elegance-20467
Join us Saturday, September 13th at 9am MT in Bozeman, MT for Timeless Treasures: 19th C. Native, Western Photographs & French Elegance. This exceptional auction features a remarkable collection of 19th-century Native American artifacts, rare Western photography by Haynes, Huffman, and other Montana photographers, and an impressive selection of 18th-century French furniture. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to acquire historic and elegant treasures. Browse the full catalog at live.naabid.com
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Lot 168

Frank Jay Haynes (1853-1921) Mammoth Plate Photo

Estimate: $6,000 - $9,000
Starting Bid
$2,500

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
This is an incredibly rare and important mammoth plate albumen photograph No. 3149 Golden Gate by Frank Jay Haynes (1853-1921) circa early 1880’s from an ex-museum Eastern Montana collection. The image shows the original golden sepia coloring, and this is a scarce mammoth plate albumen photograph, the largest such photograph taken and offered by the historic F.J. Haynes. Marked in the image on the left, “3149 GOLDEN GATE” and on the right, “F. JAY HAYNES, FARGO, D. T.” The visible photography area measures 21.5-inches by 16.5-inches. Frank Jay Haynes (October 28, 1853 – March 10, 1921), also known as F. Jay Haynes, F.J. Haynes or the Professor to those that knew him, was a prolific photographer, publisher, and entrepreneur from Minnesota who played a major role in photographing the early Northwest. Haynes became the official photographer for both the Northern Pacific Railway and Yellowstone National Park, and for a time operated a special railroad car equipped as a mobile photography studio, which he called "Haynes Palace Studio." He is one of the most prolific photographers of both Yellowstone Park and Montana during the 19th and 20th centuries. The photograph shows the historic image of Golden Gate Canyon located at the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park just south of Gardner, Montana Territory. The image shows what appears to be the original wooden bridge at Golden Gate Canyon. The photograph has strong tones, rich golden sepia coloring, clear image with fine detail, no visible damages to the image. Frame is shows some wear from age, but display very well. The piece is in the original 19th-century matting and solid oak framing from Haynes. The frame shows solid oak with a wonderful carved and incised design as well as a golden gilt inside border and backed in wood. Provenance: From an ex-museum collection out of Eastern Montana. This is believed to be one of the only mammoth plate original coloring examples of No. 3149 that is available or has been offered on the public market. Visible photograph measures 21 ½-inches by 16 ½-inches and the frame is 32 ¾-inches by 28-inches. For examples of scarcely seen mammoth plate albumen photographs by F. Jay Haynes that have sold at auction see the following (all by F.J. Haynes and all mammoth plates): Upper Falls, from the Trail sold by Swann Auction Galleries for $8,400 in 2005; Minerva Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs sold by Swann Auction Galleries for $6,000 in 2006; Along Clark’s Fork, Montana, Northern Pacific Railroad listed at $7,500 by Swann Auction Galleries in 2024; and Minerva Terrace listed by Cowan’s Auctions for $6,000 in 2010.

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