Justh, Quirot and Company (fl. 1851 - 1853)

Justh, Quirot and Company (fl. 1851 – 1853) was a San Francisco based lithographic company founded by C. Quirot and Emil (Emmanueal) Justh. They are one of the earliest and most important printing houses in San Francisco. Most of their early work appeared as quarto sized letter sheets, possibly reflecting the size of their press (or perhaps the press they were able to save from the 1851 fire). Later they issued larger format city views, probably after acquiring a larger press. Justh and Quirot maintained offices at 253 Montgomery Street (1851, post fire), 136 1/2 Clay Street (1852), and 136 California Street (1851 – 1853). Little of their early work survives due to a combination of numerous conflagrations that tore through the city and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The firm closed in 1853 and many of their plates were sold to competitors, Britton and Rey. Of the partners, Emil Justh was a Hungarian lithographer who immigrated to San Francisco in 1851. After leaving Justh, Quirot he worked as an assayer for the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, between 1854 and 1855. He later went on to found and run an assaying business with Solomon Hunter from 1855-1858. Of Quirot little is known.