Victorian Hair Art Shadow Box Mitchell Conradt Family Photos CDV Buchanan MI For Sale

A remarkable and completely documented Victorian memorial hair art grouping — one of the most complete examples you will find. This lot includes three related pieces that tell the story of a single Michigan family across four decades.
The Hair Art:A Victorian mourning/memorial hair arrangement displayed in a shadow box frame, consisting of intricately twisted and formed hair flowers and botanical designs — a common Victorian practice of preserving the hair of loved ones as a lasting memorial. A handwritten note on the back of the frame reads: “Sent to me in 1901 — hair from a relative — Caroline Hunting family — Mary Jane Mitchell” — providing rare documented provenance. Custom framed by T-Square Art Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Photographs:
Photo 1 — Large format group portrait, 1860:Identified on reverse as “Mary Jane Conradt and her 5 daughters — Minnie Jane Mitchell is second on left — 1860” — a stunning Civil War-era image of a mother and her five daughters in full hoop-skirted mourning dress, including a young child. Exceptional period detail.
Photo 2 — CDV (carte de visite), 1873:Produced by Cathcart’s New Photographic and Stereographic Hall, Main Street, Buchanan, Michigan — identified on reverse as “J. Mitchell / Mary Jane Conradt / 1873” — showing a well-dressed couple in a studio portrait.
Together these three pieces document the Mitchell/Conradt family of Buchanan, Michigan from 1860 through 1901, with the hair art serving as a tangible, intimate memorial connecting generations.
This type of complete, documented Victorian hair art grouping is extremely rare. Most hair art is anonymous; having the actual photographs of the people whose hair was preserved makes this an extraordinary find for collectors of Victorian mourning art, hair art, Michigan history, genealogy, or 19th century photography.
Ships carefully packaged — hair art wrapped and protected, photos sleeved, all packed in a rigid box.