The Collected Library, Including Americana and Early Photography

3 portraits of Civil War officers, highlighted by a watercolor portrait of Colonel Marshall Lefferts, 7th New York Infantry. 16 x 19.75 in., mounted, 20 x 24 in. The portrait, which is most likely a salt print enhanced with watercolors, depicts Colonel Marshall Lefferts dressed in uniform, with a kepi and sword in each hand, signed on verso "D. Lefferts," undoubtedly a relative. (With watercolor marks along the margins of the mount, as if the artist was testing the colors before using them in the portrait; a few nicks in the portrait.) Provenance: Cowan's, American History, 8 December 2010, Lot 105.

Prior to the Civil War, Marshall Lefferts (1821-1876) was an engineer who was heavily involved in the development of the telegraph in the 1850s. Lefferts enlisted in April 1861 at the age of 39 at New York City as a Colonel, and he was commissioned into Field & Staff, New York 7th Infantry. He led the 7th Regiment of the New York State Militia, NY National Guard, out of the 68th Street Armory on April 19, 1861. The Regiment went to Washington D.C., where it served. It was mustered out a short while later in NY. The regiment was again called out in 1862 and 1863, and at the latter date was stationed in Frederick, MD, where Colonel Lefferts was military governor. He then returned to New York to protect the city during the Draft Riots of July, 1863. Following the war, Lefferts resigned his command and accepted the role of commandant of the veteran corps of the 7th Regiment, keeping this office until his death in 1876.

[With:] Photographic portrait enhanced with watercolors, depicting an officer in uniform, his sword in hand and cap on the table beside him. New York: J. Gurney. 16 1/4 x 13 1/4 in. portrait on original mount, 21 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. With credit to Gurney, "Photographist," in lower margin. (Toning to print and mount, edge and corner wear to mount including chipping, creasing, and tears.) -- Photographic portrait of an unidentified officer standing with what appears to be a hat in hand. Uncredited. 15 1/2 x 11 3/4 in. photograph on mount, 18 x 14 in. (Toning and some soiling to print and mount, edge and corner wear to mount including chipping, creasing, and tears.)