American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

HOLMES, S. A., photographer. Possibly copied half plate ambrotype portrait of New York legislator Ogden Edwards. (loss to emulsion in multiple places, focus a bit soft; unsealed but with loose brown paper behind.) Housed in a fully separated leatherette case (split at spine, surface wear throughout). Mat stamped for Holmes, NY. Pencil inscription on case interior behind image erroneously identifies the subject as General Ethan Hitchcock. -- Quarter plate ambrotype portrait of a seated young gentleman holding a pen in writing position against a piece of paper on a table beside him. On the table is also a large key and what appears to be an ink bottle. (Some loss and flaking to emulsion; unsealed.) Housed in a Union case (soiling, nicking). -- Half plate tintype portrait of a heavily bearded man posing in a chair before a detailed painted backdrop. (Some loss to image upper right, surface crackling throughout; unsealed.) Housed under mat, glass, and preserver only, no case. -- URIE, J., photographer. Quarter plate ambrotype portrait of a mother and her young adult son. (Some loss to emulsion in spots; retains remnants of original seals.) Housed in a pressed paper case. Mat stamped "J. Urie / Glasgow." -- And 5 others, including 2 half plate daguerreotypes, 2 half plate ambrotypes (mats stamped for "Campbell" and "J.L. Hartford,") and one quarter plate ambrotype. Conditions vary. -- Together, 9 quarter and half plate portraits.

Ogden Edwards came from a distinguished family, born the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, who served as President of what is now Princeton University, and the brother of Henry Edwards, Connecticut's 27th governor. He was also a first cousin of Vice President Aaron Burr. Ogden himself served as a member of the New York Assembly from 1814 to 1817, as a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1821, and as Judge of the 1st Circuit in the State of New York from 1822 to 1841. He made an unsuccessful run for governor of New York in 1846, and died in Staten Island during the second year of the Civil War.