[Civil War]. A group of 3 photos including war-date CDV of a soldier by African American photographers Ball and Thomas.

Comprising:

CDV, studio portrait of an unidentified young soldier wearing a nine-button jacket. Cincinnati, Ohio: Ball & Thomas Photographic Art Gallery (toning, some soiling to print and mount, small surface abrasion near top edge of mount).

James Presley Ball (1825-1904) is one of the most renowned African American photographers, at one point owning the largest photographic gallery west of the Appalachians. When visiting White Sulphur Springs, Virginia in 1845 he met John B. Bailey, an African American Daguerreotypist from Boston where he acquired the passion and skill of photography. He opened a studio in Cincinnati later that year, and though it was unsuccessful, he continued his art with studios in Pittsburgh and Richmond and traveled as an itinerant Daguerreotypist. In 1849, he reopened a studio in Cincinnati. He hired his younger brother Thomas Ball to work as an operator, and in 1852 hired his future brother-in-law Alexander Thomas to work with him. By 1857, their gallery was one of the grandest in the United States attracting notables including Frederick Douglass. In 1887 Ball was chosen as the official photographer of a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation held in Minneapolis-St. Paul. In 1888, he moved to Helena, Montana with his son where he operated a studio for several years before moving again in 1892 to Seattle.

[With:] Cabinet card featuring a photographic enlargement, possibly made from a war-date ambrotype or tintype, of a young man in military-style jacket posed with a revolver. Lawrence, Kansas: F.F. Mettner (mount trimmed, remnants of adhesive on verso). -- Cabinet card with printed caption on mount below image, "Last Photograph of Gen. Grant, Four Days Before Death." Copyrighted in the negative and on verso to J.G. Gilman, Mt. McGregor and Canajoharie, NY, 22 July 1885 (toning and soiling, edge and corner wear including loss to top right corner of print and mount).

Together, 3 photographs.

This lot is located in Chicago.

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Printed Books & Early American Photography, including Selections from the Larry Ness Collection

[Civil War]. A group of 3 photos including war-date CDV of a soldier by African American photographers Ball and Thomas.

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