[Texas]. Holtz, Helmuth

[Pictorial Letter Sheet of Vignettes Depicting Matagorda, Texas]

Hamburg: Eduard Lang, [ca. 1860]. Lithograph on a lined bifolium. Light wear at edges; even tanning. About very good. Item #2094

Scarce Texas pictorial letter sheet that comprises six vignettes of Matagorda, Texas, lithographed from drawings by German sailor Helmuth Holtz. The views depict the architectural highlights of the town, including the church, Masonic hall, courthouse, the residence of Col. R.H. Williams, and Burkhart's general store. The largest vignette shows the hotel, called the Colonado House. Despite being one of the first settlements established by Austin's colonists, the permanent population of Matagorda has dwindled since its mid-19th century peaks due to its isolated location on the Texas Gulf Coast and repeated damage from hurricanes.

"California letter sheets abound, but only a few were made for Texas.... Holtz (1833-1915) also created large bird’s-eye views of Indianola and Matagorda, both 'taken from the Bay in 1860' (Reps 3981 & 3986). Holtz, [born during 1833] in Germany, visited Texas as a sailor in 1860. He served in the Union navy during the Civil War and later settled in New Orleans" - Sloan. "In 1860 [Holtz] visited the Texas ports of Indianola and Matagorda. From the bay on board the barque Texana he sketched views of the two towns and a view of the hotel at Matagorda. Holtz apparently sent these three views back to Hamburg, where they were reproduced by Eduard Lang's lithographic establishment" - Handbook of Texas Online.
Ben W. Huseman, “Holtz, Helmuth Heinrich Diedrich,” Handbook of Texas Online. Amon Carter 1148. Sloan 22:222.

Price: $750.00