67

George Fiske

1835-1918

Dancing on Overhanging Rock, Glacier Point, Yosemite (Kitty Tatch). Circa 1905.

Silver print
The image 9 1/2 x 7 3/8 in. (24.1 x 18.7 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    A Country Called California: The Collection of Stephen White
  • Literature:
    Stephen White, foreword by Lynell George, A Country Called California, Photographs 1850s to 1960s (Angel City Press, 2022), cover and p. 189
  • Notes:
    The dancer in this photograph, Kitty Tatch, was a waitress and maid at the Sentinel Hotel in Yosemite during the late 1890s and early 1900s. She was one of the first, but no means the last, to pursue daredevil feats among the natural wonders of Yosemite. A variant of this photograph shows her perilously dancing with another waitress, Katherine Hazelston, both wearing full skirts, 3,000 feet above the Valley.

    "It was a bright, sunny day in 1900 when Tatch, dressed in a full skirt and pert little hat, strode onto the rock and proceeded to dance for the camera, producing a series of death-defying kicks. After the photographs were reproduced as postcards, Tatch would recreate her perilous feat for tourists, then autograph her postcard. It was exactly the type of clever photography-driven marketing that helped transform California from a brawling gold rush frontier into one of the world's great tourist destinations." – Jim Farber, "Selling the Dream," A Country Called California, Angel City Press
  • Condition: For condition reports, email Deborah Rogal at [email protected]

    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Upon request, Swann will facilitate the shipping of purchases to out-of-town buyers at an additional charge for packing, shipping and insurance, but will not be responsible for any loss, damage or delay resulting from the packing, handling and shipping thereof. Unless specific instructions are received, Swann is the sole judge of the method to be used for shipment. Packing and shipping costs will be noted on the invoice mailed to successful bidders after the sale, and are based on the actual costs involved. Be advised that a full commercial invoice must accompany any purchase shipped outside the US.

February 12, 2026 12:00 PM EST
New York, NY, US

Swann Auction Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $100,000:
27.00%
$100,001 - $1,000,000:
22.00%
$1,000,001+:
12.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $149 $10
$150 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $5,999 $200
$6,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 + $50,000