FULL-STANDING ARMED US LIGHT ARTILLERYMAN

FULL-STANDING ARMED US LIGHT ARTILLERYMAN

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$195.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 286-1464

A full-length, standing view of an armed US soldier, likely a light artilleryman or member of a horse-artillery battery attached to cavalry, posed in front of a painted studio backdrop showing a military encampment. This is a quarter-plate tintype, uncased, but still with its gilt brass mat crimped over the trimmed corners of the tintype plate. The mat is embossed with large six-pointed flowers and foliate scrolls with a serrated edge to the oval opening. The subject is a clean-shaven young soldier wearing a non-regulation, narrow brim civilian-style hat, tilted slightly to one side, and a mounted services jacket showing seven of what were certainly twelve small buttons down the front, two small ones on each cuff and two on each side of the collar, all touched by the photographer with gold paint to show they were gilt brass. The photographer also lightly tinted the soldier’s cheeks red and his trousers, tucked into high boots, show a thin light blue- neither of which distracting. He may also have lightly tinted red the cuff chevrons of the jacket.

The low collar of the soldier’s jacket indicates it was either a private purchase or a regulation issue jacket with the collar altered for comfort in the field. He holds his saber in front on him, point down on the floor in a parade-rest position. A leather saber knot is visible hanging from the hilt, which the photographer also gilded. The grip and blade seem to be an 1840 style and we see no side branches on the hilt, so it is likely a light artillery saber. The soldier unbuttoned the scabbard from the sword slings on his waist belt to compensate for the lateral reversal of the tintype process and make it appear on his left side, but did not turn his belt upside down, as was often done, so that one sling is clearly visible on the viewer’s left. He has also thrust a revolver, his own or borrowed, into his waist belt to increase his martial appearance.

The photographer’s painted backdrop shows a military encampment, with wedge tents in the foreground, and what appears to be soldier marching at shoulder arms at left, with more tents in the background, with hills at right and in the distance, and a U.S. flag billowing from immediately behind the soldier’s upper arm at left.

The condition is very good overall. The emulsion shows craquelure overall and a couple of scratches, but no flaking. The focus and detail are quite good, with the soldier staring directly into the camera with a clenched jaw. Armed images are scarce and an armed light artilleryman is particularly tough to find.   [sr][ph:L]

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