This is a scarce outdoor tintype of a mounted Union cavalryman in a nice quarter-plate size. The image has good detail and clarity, no easy task for the rider holding the horse still and the photographer allowing for outdoor lighting, etc. The trooper wears a standard forage cap with the brim flipped up so as not to shade his face and the cap shows perhaps a hint of insignia on the top. The photographer has just lightly tinted his cheeks and a slightly gilded a few of his buttons along the front of his jacket and two on the side of his collar, enough to make clear he is wearing a regulation cavalry shell jacket.

He shows off a large, full flap army revolver holster on his belt, positioned correctly with the butt forward. Since tintypes reverse detail, the holster appears to be on his side, but is actually on his right, and he has brought his saber over to this side to display for the camera as well. The saddle seems to be a standard 1859 McClellan. A coiled blanket roll sling hangs from the top slot of the cantle, and behind his hand, hanging down at his side, is the pouch of a pair of regulation saddle bags. The bridle, bit and reins show, as does a running martingale. The photographer has lightly tinted the trooper’s trousers light blue and they are clearly rolled up slightly, showing the lower portion of his boot with the toe stuck in the hooded stirrup.

The image is a tad dark, but the photographer avoided overexposing the sky or flattening out the detail, which is quite good. The ground behind the trooper and mount is open, but a two-story frame building appears at left rear, over the horse’s neck, and a low hill and other structures to the right. The photo is glassed, matted and framed in half an embossed leatherette case. The plate has some emulsion issues- some spotting and flaking, but mostly on the lower half of the plate and very little of it affecting the horse or rider.    [sr] [ph:m]

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