Group of 20 items, primarily CDVs and cabinet cards. Images in varying conditions though most feature light toning and spotting, with wear to mount edges and corners. The lot features 7 items related to George William Curtis, including:

6 cartes de visite of George W. Curtis, including the following poses: Standing view. Boston: Silsbee, Case & Co. -- Seated view. Boston: Black & Case. -- New York: D. Appleton & Co. (2 poses). --Vignetted view, Utica, NY: Mundy & Williams. -- Seated view, New York: E. Anthony (Brady negative). -- Curtis, George W. Autograph letter signed ("George William Curtis") to "O.L. (?) Levy, Esqre." West New Brighton, Staten Island, NY, 15 January 1884. A brief letter regarding Curtis' "stores of autographs," which were "left closely stripped by my friends." Accompanied by original envelope. (ALS overall very good with light horizontal fold at center; envelope with loss to top edges.)

George William Curtis (1824-1892) was a progressive thinker, writer, and speaker inspired by the Transcendentalist Movement and spurred to action by the many civil rights issues prevalent in 19th-century American society and politics. As a young man, Curtis spent time living among fellow transcendentalist thinkers in the utopian community of Brook Farm, and among foreign people from a number of backgrounds during his travels across Europe, Egypt, and Syria. Having these disparate life experiences under his belt, Curtis returned to the United States, settling down in Staten Island and turning his attention to affecting the changes he hoped to see in his own community. Curtis not only produced written content for the Tribune, Putnam's Magazine, and Harper's Weekly, but he also wrote six popular books and performed gripping speeches as a founder of the Republican Party, most notably including his famous "Doctrine of Liberty" speech at Harvard University on behalf of President Lincoln. 

Curtis married Anna Shaw, one of four sisters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw of the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry leader. He became the political editor of Harper's Weekly in 1863, and continued turning down offers to serve in political offices until 1871 when he was appointed to lead the first federal Civil Service Commission by Ulysses S. Grant. Upon his death in 1892, Curtis left a legacy of written works, powerful orations, and federal reforms all reflecting his strong views in favor of abolition, civil rights, women's suffrage, public education, and environmental conservation. 

[With:] 12 CDVs and cabinet cards of writers, publishers, and other literary figures, including: Marcus Pomeroy. New York: C.D. Fredricks & Co. -- William H. Russell. New York: C.D. Fredricks & Co. -- George Prentice. New York: E. & H.T. Anthony (Brady negative). -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Uncredited. -- John Howard Payne. New York: E. Anthony. -- George Payne Rainsford James. New York: E. Anthony (Brady negative). -- Studio portrait of the Harper brothers, including Fletcher, James, John, and Joseph Harper, founders of the publishing empire. New York: E. & H.T. Anthony (Brady negative). -- Horace Howard Furness. Philadelphia: Broadbent & Taylor. -- George W. Childs. Philadelphia: Gutekunst. -- John W. Forney. Philadelphia: Stokes. -- And two others.

Also enclosed is copy of the Harper & Brothers' Book-List with an Index and Classified Table of Contents. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1853. Front paper cover fully separated, partial loss to back cover. Toning and soiling to wrappers, occasional soiling to text.

Together, 20 items.