Need Advice Authentication/Appraise Grant Photo

[CivilWarParlor]

I was recently contacted on my blog in regards to a photo of Ulysses S. Grant.
Its inscribed underneath US GEN GRANT AND FAMILY AT MT. MCGREGOR JUNE 20th 1885
the owner of the photo wants to know what is the first step on getting this appraised, and who do you turn to that has a good reputation if the owner wanted to sell it?

Can anyone give us some names on people with good reps that do appraisals? The owner of the photo lives in New York. I think this may be one a handful of photos taken that day of Grant and family.

 

[reading48]

I cant Help, someone will.....

Too bad that bright glare is at the top....Nice Photo

 

[CivilWarParlor]

I cant Help, someone will.....

Too bad that bright glare is at the top....Nice Photo

Its inside the frame, they took a photo of the picture to put online, that's the flash from the camera, they did not want to remove it from frame.

 

[Fran]

I can't help unfortunately but love the picture, I have never seen it before, thank you for sharing. I'm sure someone will help form this site.

 

[mofederal]

I believe I have seen this hot before. I looks very familiar. I know I have seen a copy of this before.

 

[Jimklag]

I was recently contacted on my blog in regards to a photo of Ulysses S. Grant.
Its inscribed underneath US GEN GRANT AND FAMILY AT MT. MCGREGOR JUNE 20th 1885
the owner of the photo wants to know what is the first step on getting this appraised, and who do you turn to that has a good reputation if the owner wanted to sell it?

Can anyone give us some names on people with good reps that do appraisals? The owner of the photo lives in New York. I think this may be one a handful of photos taken that day of Grant and family.

Great picture. I hope you find the information you need. I know nothing about the authentication and appraisal of historic photos. But, I guarantee some of our members do. Good luck.

 

[1867crete]

I think you may need to get some pictures of the image out of the frame. Size, backmark (hopefully a photographer names/address) type of cardstock it is mounted to etc.. to get a accurate idea of what they have! But a awesome image!! Very cool!

 

[Robert Rutledge]

I would recommend a museum or maybe a library with a rare books section. The kind where you have to wear gloves to touch the book and a librarian watches you while you have it. Either place might know how to physically handle the picture. I agree with the above, it needs to come out of the frame to find out what is on the back.

I am not an expert or appraiser, but it does seem like the guy sitting down has a droopy eye.

This is from a New York Times article from June 20th 1885

The General drew out the tablet and wrote upon it: "They will talk me to death if I stay out here," and hobbled grimly within. The General stayed indoors until after the train with visitors had departed. Then he went back outside again, staying in total about 3 hours outdoors.

It annoyed the General and the family that he was deprived outdoor time by those who insisted on talking to him. There was no gain in strength for the General today. For a time before daylight faded away, he sat on the porch with his body almost conforming to the shape of the straight-backed chair. His head rested upon the upper round and in silhouette it looked as if nothing rested there but a coat and hat. It was the nearest to an appearance of collapse in which the General has yet suffered himself to be seen.

Much more here:
http://www.granthomepage.com/nyt_6_20.htm

Grant was not doing well that day. The article mentions nothing of a photograph, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. But he was at Mt. McGregor that day, outside, sitting in a chair, surrounded by family.

Also, there is a similar (but very different) picture taken of Grant in the spring of 1885. Dressed similarly, the chair looks similar (from what you can see of it).

Hope this helps some.

 

[roberts]

Here is a link to a list of appraisers from the Library of Congress...

https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/resource/010a_dea.html

I did a google search of the image and found several similar with the same family members but the poses were slightly different from this one. It may be unpublished


Good luck.

edited to add: Sorry, I didn't notice the date of the original post (2013). Don't know that this will be of any help this late.

 

[16thVA]

Just email an image of the photo to Sotheby's photography dept. If it is an image that has never been seen before then they wold probably want to put it up for auction. It could be an early commercial print. Sotheby's would give their opinion without having to pay for it.

 

[chubachus]

Cowan's sold a similar photo in 2011 for $59 in 2011 but the print does not looks as good as OP's: https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/u...s-including-grant-family-at-mt-mcgregor-93267

 

[chubachus]

Heritage Auctions sold what looks like the same photo for $469 in 2014: https://historical.ha.com/itm/photo...322.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

 

[Mint Julep]

The condition of the photograph makes all the difference. Yes, I was going to estimate between $300-$500 depending on where the sale takes place.

Heritage Auctions sold what looks like the same photo for $469 in 2014: https://historical.ha.com/itm/photo...322.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515