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Original Civil War-Era Soldier Portrait Photograph in Period Victorian Frame – Circa 1860s
Exceptional antique military portrait depicting a young uniformed soldier wearing a forage-style cap and button-front military coat.
The photograph and presentation appear consistent with the American Civil War era, circa 1861–1865. Based on the paper photographic format and period construction, the image appears consistent with an albumen-type photograph, although the exact photographic process has not been professionally authenticated.
The soldier\'s uniform and cap are suggestive of a Federal / Union soldier, but no visible regiment, company insignia, identification, or written provenance has been found, so the sitter is being offered as an unidentified Civil War-era soldier rather than attributed to a specific army or unit.
One especially interesting feature is the soldier\'s eyes, which appear to have been hand-retouched or enhanced, a treatment seen on some 19th-century studio photographs.
The portrait is housed in an impressive period Victorian presentation consisting of a dark wood outer frame with gilt and ebonized inner trim and a decorative oval mat with gold-tone accents. The aged wooden backing and early hanging hardware are also shown in the photographs.
The photograph was carefully examined outside the frame, allowing both the front and reverse of the original paper mount to be documented. The mount shows genuine age-related toning, staining, edge wear and other evidence of considerable age. The frame likewise shows scratches, finish loss and general wear consistent with a 19th-century piece.
No restoration, cleaning or alteration has been performed by us.
Approximate framed size: roughly 12\" × 14\" — please refer to measurement photos for exact dimensions.
This is a visually striking piece of original American military photography and would display beautifully in a collection of Civil War memorabilia, early photography, Victorian antiques, military history or 19th-century Americana.
Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description and show the photograph, mount, decorative mat, frame construction and condition in detail.
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