Rare and visually compelling 1/6 plate daguerreotype housed in its original period case with ornate gilt brass mat and preserver. The image depicts an elderly gentleman seated beside a younger woman, likely his daughter or possibly a nurse or caregiver, posed in an unusually intimate and atmospheric setting.

Particularly noteworthy is the apparent outdoor nature of the composition – an uncommon feature in daguerreotype photography, which was overwhelmingly conducted inside formal studios due to the long exposure times required by the process. The softer natural lighting and less rigid arrangement give the portrait an exceptionally candid and human quality rarely encountered in mid-19th century photography.

The elderly sitter appears wrapped in a boldly patterned plaid covering, his advanced age and frailty plainly visible, while the younger woman leans attentively nearby wearing an elaborate lace bonnet and finely detailed dress. Her protective posture creates a deeply emotional image suggestive of family devotion and care.

Portraits capturing elderly sitters in such personal circumstances were often commissioned as treasured family keepsakes late in life, making surviving examples especially poignant today.

The plate retains strong visual presence with the characteristic mirror-like surface associated with the daguerreotype process. Expected scattered surface wear, light abrasions, and minor tarnish are present from age and handling. The unusual subject matter, apparent outdoor setting, and striking emotional composition combine to make this a particularly desirable and memorable example of early American photography.
An exceptional and highly displayable daguerreotype with tremendous folk-art character and uncommon visual narrative.

Inventory Number: HAR 258

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A handsome and honest example of the classic Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver, chambered in .36 caliber and retaining an attractive, untouched appearance throughout. The steel components have developed a pleasing dark gray patina with a slight brownish cast, while the brass trigger guard and backstrap have mellowed to a rich mustard-yellow tone from age and use.

The top of the octagonal barrel is marked:

ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT

NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA.

Traces of the original silver plating remain on the forward portion of the trigger guard. The left side of the frame is stamped COLT’S PATENT, and the matching serial number 129059, accompanied by the letter S, appears on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, backstrap, wedge, and cylinder. The recoil shields are not cut for the attachment of a shoulder stock.

The revolver features the desirable octagonal barrel and exhibits evidence of long service and careful handling. The cylinder scene has faded from use, and the barrel address and patent markings show expected wear but remain legible. Small inspector’s numerals are present, including a stamped numeral beneath the left front of the trigger guard. Faint initials are visible in the brass behind the trigger guard.

The one-piece walnut grips remain in excellent condition with attractive color and surface finish, displaying only light handling wear. Mechanically, the revolver is in proper working order with a crisp action and solid lockup.

An appealing Civil War-era Colt Navy revolver with matching numbers, pleasing untouched patina, and strong eye appeal—an excellent representative example of one of the most iconic American percussion revolvers of the nineteenth century.

Inventory Number: HAN-400

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The Holy Grail of Muskets – This specific example ended up in the hands of both sides of the Conflict!

An outstanding and highly desirable Civil War-era U.S. Model 1861 Springfield Rifle-Musket bearing a Confederate capture and collection mark. This rifle-musket is stamped with the distinctive Richmond Arsenal “Z” mark, indicating Confederate capture, inspection, and subsequent service. Arms with documented Confederate capture markings are among the most sought-after of all Civil War military firearms.

The barrel bands, band springs, nose cap, and ramrod exhibit a pleasing dark brown patina, while the remaining metal surfaces have aged to a smooth dark gray tone accented by scattered darker patina areas. The left barrel flat at the breech is stamped with the federal eagle head proof and the letters “V” and “P” for viewed and proofed inspection.

The lock plate is marked with the federal eagle and U.S. / SPRINGFIELD, and is dated 1861 at the rear. The musket retains its correct 1855/1861 pattern ramrod with the characteristic tulip-shaped swell, and both original sling swivels remain intact.

Evidence of wartime service is visible in the form of light percussion cap erosion at the breech area. A slight gap is present between the rear sight base and the barrel; however, the sight remains secure and shows no movement. The buttplate tang is clearly stamped “U.S.” Only the rear two barrel bands bear the letter “U” inspection marks.

The stock remains in excellent condition with strong original contours and an attractive surface. Wear is limited to a small area directly behind the percussion nipple, a common occurrence on arms that saw active service. The underside of the stock, immediately forward of the trigger guard, is stamped with the coveted Richmond Arsenal captured and collected “Z” marking.

This is a fine, untouched example of an 1861-dated Springfield Rifle-Musket that served on both sides of the conflict. Combining strong original condition, documented Confederate capture history, and desirable Richmond Arsenal markings, it represents a scarce and important Civil War collectible. 

Inventory Number: RIF-362

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Striking and deeply evocative 1/6 plate daguerreotype portrait depicting a young mixed-race girl seated before the camera in a boldly patterned checked dress, her direct gaze lending the image an exceptional presence. Housed in a period leatherette case with gilt brass mat and preserver, the image displays the luminous, mirror-like quality so prized in early daguerreian photography. 

Portraits of African American and mixed-race sitters from the daguerreotype era remain among the rarest and most sought-after forms of 19th century photography, particularly examples executed with this level of clarity and dignity. The sitter is presented with remarkable care and individuality, her formal pose and finely detailed attire speaking to both the artistry of the photographer and the importance of the image to the family who commissioned it. 

The composition possesses an arresting honesty characteristic of the 1850s–early 1860s daguerreian period, with crisp rendering to the facial features, hands, and patterned textile. The untouched surface exhibits scattered light age-related tarnish and minor mat abrasions consistent with authentic early daguerreotypes. Housed in its original leatherette case retaining attractive age and patina. 

An exceptionally scarce and historically important American image representing an underrepresented subject within early photography, combining strong visual impact with significant social and cultural resonance. 

Inventory Number: HAR 259

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A handsome and well-balanced late 18th to early 19th century. English fighting dagger or naval dirk bearing the maker’s mark “SAUNDERS” stamped clearly on the blade, likely a product of the noted English cutler Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders. Active during the late Georgian period, Saunders was associated with the renowned English edged weapons trade supplying fine quality swords, dirks, and military accoutrements to officers of the British Army and Royal Navy during the age of the American Revolution and Napoleonic conflicts. 

The dagger features a refined ivory-toned grip with elegant fluted carving, simple steel crossguard with recurved quillon, and a sturdy spear-point blade retaining a pleasing untouched surface with scattered freckling and honest age throughout. The overall form is distinctly Georgian in character, combining understated elegance with practical martial utility. 

Weapons of this nature were favored by naval officers, marines, military gentlemen, and private purchasers throughout the British Empire during the Revolutionary War era. Similar daggers accompanied officers serving in North America during the American Revolution, while captured British arms frequently passed into American hands during and after the conflict. Examples such as this remained popular well into the Federal period and the War of 1812, particularly among naval officers and gentlemen seeking compact yet effective sidearms. 

Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders is associated with the celebrated English cutlery and sword-making traditions centered in Birmingham and London — two of the great arms-producing centers of the British Empire. Surviving marked examples are increasingly sought after for both their quality and direct connection to the great military conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 

An especially attractive and historically evocative English dirk with strong Revolutionary War associations, desirable maker-marked blade, and outstanding display presence. 

Inventory Number: EDG 141

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A wonderful identified Civil War tintype photograph depicting young Union soldier Philemon H. Williams of the famed New York 1st Sharpshooters. The image shows Williams standing proudly in uniform beside a studio column, housed in an attractive period thermoplastic-style case with ornate brass matting and velvet liner.

Included with the tintype is an old handwritten identification note reading:

“Philemon Williams
a soldier boy! for his wife if she wants it”

Williams enlisted on October 17, 1862, at Canaan, New York, at the age of 22. He mustered into Company “9,” New York 1st Sharpshooters on January 22, 1863, and was mustered out at Albany, New York, on August 5, 1863.

The New York Sharpshooters were among the more distinctive Union units of the Civil War, known for their specialized marksmanship and battlefield service. Identified images to members of sharpshooter units are considerably more difficult to locate than standard Civil War portraits, making this an especially desirable example.

The image remains clear and displayable with pleasing contrast, while the decorative case presents very well overall. The inclusion of both the period handwritten family note and modern service research adds significantly to the historical interest and personal connection of the piece.

An outstanding identified Civil War image grouping with strong display appeal and excellent research potential.

Inventory Number: HAR 252

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Scarce Civil War–Era Photographic Manual – “The Photograph and Ambrotype Manual,” 1861 – With Period Chemical Fingerprints

Rare early American photographic reference: The Photograph and Ambrotype Manual: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Taking Positive and Negative Photographs on Paper and Glass, by N. G. Burgess, published in New York by Hubbard, Burgess & Co., 1861 (Seventh Edition).

This important manual was issued at the height of the wet-plate collodion era, when ambrotypes and early albumen photographs dominated American photography—precisely the process responsible for the vast majority of Civil War images. The book served as a working guide for professional photographers, containing detailed instructions, formulas, and chemical recipes for producing positive photographs on glass and paper, preparing plates, washing prints, retouching photographs, and managing the various chemical baths required for the ambrotype and collodion processes.

Of particular interest is the presence of dark chemical stains and embossed fingerprints on the pages, almost certainly left by a period photographer handling the manual while working with silver nitrate, collodion, or related photographic chemicals. Such evidence of actual studio use is rarely encountered and provides a tangible connection to the working practices of 19th-century photographers—possibly even those producing portraits during the Civil War period.

The manual includes extensive sections on:

• Preparation of glass plates
• Collodion formulas and chemical baths
• Washing and finishing positive prints
• Retouching photographs
• Practical studio methods used by leading American operators
• Published in the first year of the Civil War, the work reflects the technical knowledge employed by the photographers who created the iconic images of the conflict.

The volume remains well preserved with clear typography and complete text, displaying honest period use and scattered chemical staining consistent with a working photographic reference.

An exceptionally scarce and evocative early photographic manual, directly tied to the techniques that produced Civil War ambrotypes and early glass plate photography.

Inventory Number: HIS 318

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Original Civil War period U.S. regulation gray wool blanket in good condition, retaining the classic loosely woven construction and Chain-stitched “U.S” associated with wartime Federal issue examples. The blanket displays honest age and service wear throughout with scattered minor fraying along portions of the edges, entirely consistent with period use and storage.

A desirable and increasingly difficult-to-find piece of authentic Civil War field equipment, representative of the standard blankets carried by Union soldiers throughout the conflict. Displays well with a soft untouched appearance and strong overall eye appeal.

Inventory Number: PER 483

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Joseph D. Boyce, 1st Vermont Cavalry 

A compelling Civil War cavalry artifact, this set of regulation McClellan pattern spurs is directly identified to Private Joseph D. Boyce of Company F, 1st Vermont Cavalry. Constructed of brass with classic arched yoke and short neck terminals, the spurs exhibit a pleasing untouched patina consistent with wartime service and proper preservation. 

Most significantly, the pair retains a period handwritten identification tag reading, “Spurs of Joseph D. Boyce used during the war of the Great Rebellion,” firmly linking the artifact to its wartime owner. Accompanying National Park Service research confirms Boyce’s service in one of the Union’s most active cavalry regiments. 

The 1st Vermont Cavalry saw hard and continuous service in the Eastern Theater, participating in major operations including the Gettysburg Campaign, the Overland Campaign, and the Shenandoah Valley fighting under Sheridan. The regiment earned a reputation for aggressive mounted action, often operating in direct contact with Confederate cavalry and infantry alike—making surviving identified personal equipment from its enlisted ranks especially desirable. 

Strong provenance and extensive combat service, relic of a Vermont trooper’s wartime experience, untouched and evocative of active field use. 

Inventory Number: CAV 127

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This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot. After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 552

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