Historical Indulgences

ca. 1885, [“Victorian heads afloat”]

via the Burns Archive

[Nineteenth century photograph of two gentlemen]

via Airform Archives

ca. 1853, “Seth Eastman on Dighton Rock”

The illustrator Seth Eastman is pictured on Dighton Rock, a well-known landmark outside of Taunton, Massachusetts. The rock had one face covered with indecipherable markings. Although no one was certain of the origin or meaning of these markings, the Dictionary of American History states that the markings inspired “more weird speculation than any other subject of antiquity in America.”

via the Daguerreian Society, from the Massachusetts Historical Society

ca. 1868, [Practical Anatomy lecture admission card, University of Pennsylvania]

via the Civil War Medical Collections of Dr. Michael Echols

[Nineteenth or early twentieth century carte de visite]

via Anonymous Works, from J. Cosmas Vintage Photography

ca. 1870’s, [British or Canadian officers posing with a stuffed heron]

via the Janus Museum

ca. 1862, [Confederate Dead of the 2nd Texas Infantry, outside Battery Robinette, Corinth, Mississippi]

The body of Col. William Rodgers, 2d Texas Inf. is in the foreground. In the assault on Battery Robinette, Col. Rogers seized the regimental colors, jumped a five foot ditch, leaving his dying horse behind, and assaulted the ramparts of the Battery. When killed by canister shot, he was the fifth 2nd Texas Color bearer to fall that day.

via Heritage Auctions, & more information on Col. Rogers

ca. 1850-60, [portrait of a woman], Mats Landin

via the Digitalt Museum of Sweden

ca. 1896, [portrait of a couple]

via my personal collection

ca. 1891, [portrait of a sassy boy in front of a cobweb backdrop], R.P. Bellsmith

via my personal collection

ca. 1856-60, [Edward J. Roye, Senator from Montserrado Co., Liberia]

The American Colonization Society was organized in 1817 to settle black Americans in Liberia, and from 1821 on, thousands made the move.  In 1847, Liberia declared itself an independent state when they founded the Republic of Liberia.

via the Library of Congress, Daguerreotype Collection, American Colonization Society

ca. 1855, [Portrait of Daniel Gilbert and Betson Gordon]

via the Daniel Weber Collection at George Eastman House on Flickr

[Late 19th century tintype, portrait of a gentleman]

via my personal collection

[Late 19th century portrait of five ladies]

via my personal collection

ca. 1858-60, [Unidentified man, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing right, seated in chair], Ball & Thomas

via the Library of Congress, Daguerreotype Collection