G. G. GARIBALDI (Italian American, active in the 1870s) — At the Play, Respectfully Inscribed to the Wealth, Enterprise & Beauty of California by their faithful Friend, F. Marriotte, July 1879, XV. Dec.

4-color lithograph, Britton & Rey San Francisco; Original American frame; In this exceedingly rare print “le tout San Francisco” of 1879 is pictured using the device of an audience at a play–“all the world’s a stage” after all! The print is accompanied by a detailed legend, each of nearly 300 portraits identified!; Joseph Britton (1825-1901) was born in Yorkshire, England in 1825 and immigrated to the United States in 1835; by 1847 he was working in New York City as a lithographer. After joining the Gold Rush to San Francisco in 1849 he became a partner in the lithography firm of Pollard & Britton; he later established his own business in association with his brother-in-law, Jacques J. Rey. Britton was also active as a supervisor in San Francisco on the People’s Party ticket, and provided financing for the first cable car!