In 2022, Britannic Auctions sold a c.1865 mammoth plate photograph of The Three Brothers by Carleton Watkins for $2,728. This large-format albumen print, measuring 20.25” x 16” (27” x 21” with its matte), is signed in ink, with the title written in pencil—likely by Watkins himself, though much of the inscription has faded over time.
This image is part of Carleton Watkins’ Yosemite series, a body of work that played a key role in convincing the U.S. government to protect the region. His photographs, including The Three Brothers, helped lay the groundwork for Yosemite National Park, making them historically significant and highly collectible.
Today, original Watkins prints, particularly mammoth plate photographs of Yosemite, are sought after by collectors of early photography and Western landscapes.
Carleton Watkins: Pioneering Yosemite Photography
Carleton Eugene Watkins (1829–1916) was a pioneering American landscape photographer. His work captured Yosemite’s towering cliffs and waterfalls like never before.
In 1861, Watkins packed his heavy camera gear and set out for Yosemite Valley. He carried a massive tripod and fragile glass plate negatives across rough terrain. His lens captured El Capitan, Half Dome, and Cathedral Rock, revealing the West’s stunning landscapes.
These photographs became the first images of Yosemite seen on the East Coast. Most Americans had only read descriptions of the valley. Watkins’ work quickly gained national attention, helping convince President Lincoln to sign the 1864 Yosemite Grant. This marked the first time in U.S. history that land was set aside for preservation. His influence later shaped the creation of the National Park System.
Sadly, Watkins lost his entire collection of negatives and prints in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Today, surviving original mammoth plate photographs, like The Three Brothers, are incredibly rare and highly sought after.
Mammoth Plate Photography: How It Was Done
Watkins specialized in mammoth plate photography, a process that required using huge glass plate negatives, typically larger than 18” on one side. The mammoth plate negatives produced strikingly detailed prints, but they were expensive, fragile, and difficult to transport, especially in rugged wilderness areas like Yosemite.
To create a mammoth plate photograph in the 19th century, Watkins had to:
- Carry 2,000 pounds of photographic equipment into the field, including his massive camera, glass plates, and a portable darkroom.
- Prepare each glass plate on-site, coating it with collodion emulsion before exposing it in the camera.
- Develop the negative immediately, using a chemical bath inside a makeshift darkroom tent.
- Print the final image on albumen paper, creating a warm-toned, high-detail photograph.
Because of the difficulty and cost of this process, few original mammoth plate prints survive today, adding to their rarity and value.
What Are Carleton Watkins Mammoth Plate Photographs Worth?
Due to their historical importance, large format, and limited surviving examples, original Carleton Watkins Yosemite photographs continue to bring strong prices at auction. Here are some notable recent sales:
- Carleton Watkins – Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Mammoth Plate Albumen Print (c.1870s, 21.75” x 15.9”) – Sold for $3,850 (2019)
- Carleton Watkins & Isaiah Taber – General View of Yosemite Valley, Mammoth Plate Albumen Print (15.9” x 18.9”) – Sold for $3,200 (2024, Eldred's Auction Gallery)
- Carleton Watkins – Lower Yosemite Falls, Mammoth Plate Albumen Print (16” x 20.5”) – Sold for $4,025 (2006, Cowan’s Auctions)
- Carleton Watkins – The Three Brothers, Mammoth Plate Albumen Print (c.1865, 20.25” x 16”) – Sold for $2,728 (2022, Britannic Auctions)
The highest values go to well-preserved, large-format original albumen prints, particularly those mounted on their original card stock. Yosemite photographs tend to be the most desirable, as Watkins' images played a direct role in the region’s preservation.
Buy or Sell Mammoth Plate Photographs at Auction
Collectors and institutions continue to seek original Watkins photographs, particularly mammoth plate images of Yosemite and the American West. If you’re looking to buy or sell a rare 19th-century photograph, sign up for auction alerts to stay updated on upcoming online auctions.
If you own an antique mammoth plate photograph, Britannic Auctions offers free consignment estimates. Contact us today to find out what your collection may be worth.
