American Historical Ephemera & Photography

A somewhat ironic portrait of two seated firefighters, each wearing a few iconic parts of the fireman's uniform including helmet, red-tinted shirt, and belt. Each holds a cigarette or cigar in his mouth, and the fellow on the right also holds a fireman's trumpet. (Very few imperfections including one small area of image fading to left subject's chest; unsealed.) Housed in a pressed paper case. The subject on the viewer's right wears an assistant foreman's helmet, bearing a white shield, while his fellow sports the helmet of the rank and file, bearing a black shield.

The visible portions of the pards' belts indicate that both belts read, "Lady Washington." The numeral "2" on their helmets designates the engine or hose company they belong to. Therefore, these two men can be said to belong to either the Lady Washington Engine Company No. 2 or the Lady Washington Hose Company No. 2. 

The specific New York style of the subjects' uniform shirts, helmets, belts, and even the trumpet, together with their deduced company designation implies that the men likely belonged to either the Peekskill or Yonkers, NY Lady Washington No. 2 company, both of which were active during the 1855-1862 period of ambrotype popularity. 

We are grateful to Mike Novak of San Clemente, California, who furnished information pinpointing the Peekskill or Yonkers affiliation of the subjects featured here.