This Union cavalry private is shown seated, from the waist up, and wears a regulation issue forage cap and a mounted services jacket whose piping the photographer has helpfully tinted gold, along with his buttons, to make clear his branch of service. The jacket shows ten buttons. Perhaps two more are concealed behind his crossed hands in his lap, where he seems to have a small book. His standing collar has yellow piping along the top and bottom edge, with a single strand in the middle and one button- perhaps a contractor’s variation, though we should not expect too much precision from the artist, or the colorist assigned to the task in the studio, who has also colored the soldier’s cuff trim and added a little red to his cheeks. The soldier has a thin moustache and goatee, looks straight ahead and was likely trying to keep a steady, serious expression befitting the solemnity of taking a formal portrait that would serve as a keepsake for family and loved ones.

In format this is an ambrotype- the light sensitive solution coating a glass plate that produces a negative image after exposure, developing and fixing that is then given a black backing to produce a positive image. The image is clear, shows some spotting and some thin solarization mainly around the edge, following the line of the mat. The embossed mat, glass and embossed frame are in place. The leatherette case is good, with facing pad in place inside and the hook and eye latch, and the hinge intact. The exterior is very good, with no scrapes or chips, and both top and bottom showing the identical floral and geometric patterns.  [sr] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!