Recent Find 1/16th Pl. Confederate Ambrotype

[CyleKostello]

Small but mighty!

Recently picked up this beautiful 1/16th blue glass ambrotype. Normally don't collect this size but the content + the scarcity of blue glass ambros made him appealing. The clarity on him is just stellar. You can even make out the details of the placket on his undershirt. He sports a low slung gray kepi and what looks like a rough homespun shell jacket, with interesting buttons. Looks like he's got some dark trim around the collar of his shell jacket as well.

I usually err on the side of caution when it comes to attributing photos, especially given how common gray was in early war northern militia uniforms. But I feel this one is more likely than not a reb because:

• Low slung gray kepi
• Dark collar trim on his shell jacket - this is rarely seen on early war federals
• What looks like nonstandard/civilian buttons on his shell jacket. (Early war gray federals largely used brass state or national brass buttons)
• Verbal provenance to an SC estate - in a vacuum this doesn't mean much but when considering the other details I think it's a good bit of supporting evidence

Anyways, hope y'all enjoy the photo!

 

[UCVRelics]

Nice Image. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Gandycreek]

Nice image .

 

[R. Porter]

Amazing. It's hard to believe that little square of blue glass in you hand holds so much detail. Looking at those buttons, one looks like it could be a person and the other looks like it could be a sailing ship. We should have some uniform experts weigh-in on possible unit associations.

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

Great image!

 

[Old Soldier]

'Dark trim' on these early photos almost always means RED as red did not register on the photographic emulsions of the time. (Hence the 'red light' in the developing room) Even black, when lit well, did. Red = artillery. The shirt is not an issue one which may well indicate a mid-late war Confederate soldier as the supply of clothing was limited. On the other hand, it may have been taken after the end of hostilities.

BTW - Quality. The quality of these photos depended on two things - the emulsions used and the lens. The emulsion grain size was the 'pixel' of it's day. Some of the bigger negatives and prints will stand high magnification as the grain is so fine. These smaller glass and metal plates were direct exposures, the emulsions showing a positive greyscale image when developed, IOW there was no 'negative'. They were also 'mirror-image' (look at the buttonholes!) They were the cheaper option, but tend to deteriorate over time - particularly on the edges as this one shows.

 

[CyleKostello]

Amazing. It's hard to believe that little square of blue glass in you hand holds so much detail. Looking at those buttons, one looks like it could be a person and the other looks like it could be a sailing ship. We should have some uniform experts weigh-in on possible unit associations.

Thanks! I'd love to be able to parse out his state. Think the buttons might just be a civilian pattern though.

The shirt is not an issue one which may well indicate a mid-late war Confederate soldier as the supply of clothing was limited. On the other hand, it may have been taken after the end of hostilities.

The undershirt is definitely not issue, but his shell jacket looks like it might be. Maybe not from one of the big depots, but perhaps from his state gov. Could also be a commutation jacket sent from home. I tend to gravitate towards early/mid war on this one.

 

[ccorner]

A lovely post! thank you!