While our collective memory of the Gold Rush is shaped by photographs of the mining operations themselves, the boom relied on tertiary operations like this one. The New Almaden quicksilver mine was the first and most productive mercury operation in the country—the metal was used to recover gold from amalgams. In hindsight, mercury mines such as this one disrupt the romantic vision of the Gold Rush, as the era entailed gruesome work in toxic environments.
This superlative stereo half from Watkins' early visit to the New Almaden quicksilver mines characterizes the photographer's compositional virtuosity. The silhouetted figures are backdropped by an indeterminate ether, positioned likely by Watkins to balance the architectural forms. The criss-crossed floor planks mimic the chalk tallies on the left-hand post.
The print is flush-mounted to its original album leaf; the album from which this print originates was bound in 1876. In fact, this print likely came from Watkins' booth at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, in which other photographers represented in this album had participated.