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A Gentleman of Considerable Importance (According to Himself)
An original Civil War-era carte de visite featuring a wonderfully self-assured Victorian gentleman sporting an impressive beard, an extravagant bow tie, and the unmistakable expression of a man who expects to be taken seriously.
Seated beside a draped studio table in his finest three-piece suit, he appears entirely prepared to discuss politics, property, or the declining standards of the younger generation.
His identity remains unknown, but his sense of occasion is unmistakable.
The reverse retains an original U.S. Internal Revenue two-cent photograph tax stamp, dating this portrait to approximately 1864–1866.
Details
* Original antique photographic portrait
* Civil War era, circa 1864–1866
* Carte de visite (CDV)
* Measures 3.5” × 2.5”
* Original two-cent revenue stamp with pen cancellation
* Age-related toning, staining, and edge wear as photographed
Antique photographs. Human beings behaving historically.
And if we don’t know your name… well, you should have written it on the back.
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