American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

FISH, George Gardner, artist. Emancipation. Allegorical carte-de-visite. Boston, MA: John Soule, 1863. CDV on cardstock mount (trimmed edges). Title and Soule's publication information in lower margin (incorrecly spelled "Sowle"), with credit to Joseph Ward, Boston, on verso. Probably issued shortly after the proclamation on 1 January 1863. Boston was a hotbed of abolitionist sentiment, and this carte was probably a shrewd attempt by Soule to satisfy a customer base who applauded Lincoln's decision. Lady Liberty is shown brandishing the Emancipation Proclamation, with an enslaved man and woman kneeling at each side.

[With:] The Confederacy in Petticoats. Satirical CDV of Jefferson Davis in petticoat. -- 2 CDVs of Lincoln and his family after lithographs/engravings, one credited to Lazier, Syracuse, NY. -- 10 CDVs of Union generals and officers, including from life views of George A.L. Messer and wife (New York, Faris & Gray, 2 cent revenue stamp on verso), J.D. Cox, Hooker (New York, Brady & Anthony), Grant and family (after lithograph/engraving), Sherman (Newburgh, NY, Teller, after lithograph/engraving), Sheridan (Des Moines, Wm. Schreck, after lithograph/engraving), and others. -- CDVs featuring patriotic vignettes, including "The Union Generals," and "The Price of the Union" (New York, Samuel Canty). -- 29 CDVs of civilians, many credited to New York photographers. Includes approx. 8 CDVs of people holding Union Cases or albums. Several of the CDVs described above originally housed in leather-bound CDV album included with the lot. 

[With:] Gem-sized tintype album containing more than 80 tintypes of men, women, and children. 

[With:] Approx. 30 stereoviews. Subjects include: Niagara Falls, including a man going across the falls on a wire with a wheelbarrow. -- Yellowstone, including Old Faithful. -- The Grand Canyon. -- Spanish American War views, including the wreck of the Maine and US graves in Santiago. -- Early US Capitol in Washington under construction. -- Early Egypt, including sites under sand and Baalbek. 

[With:] Box containing 20 lithographed stereoviews, most showing Niagara Falls, NY. 

[Also with:] 5 printed advertisements for photographic services in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Photographers include: G.B. Dana Ambrotypist, Patucket, RI. -- Miss M. MacFarlane Ambrotype Rooms, Boston, MA. --  O.R. Wilkinson, Medford, MA. -- Pearce's Photographs and Ambrotypes, Providence, RI. -- Coggeshall's 15 Cent Ambrotypes, Providence, RI. 

Together, more than 100 CDVs, tintypes, and stereoviews of civilians, military and political personalities, as well as places in the United States and beyond. Condition generally fair to good. Many with toning, occasional soiling, edge and corner wear to mounts.