ca. 1860-70’s, [ambrotype portrait of a fiddler with his violin; a slip of paper accompanying it reads “Harva Armis Cousin of Newman Armis all of New Hamsher”] via Macrafly, Curated Historic Photography

ca. 1860-70’s, [ambrotype portrait of a fiddler with his violin; a slip of paper accompanying it reads “Harva Armis Cousin of Newman Armis all of New Hamsher”]

via Macrafly, Curated Historic Photography

ca. 1860-1890’s, [carte de visite portrait of a musician hard at work with his beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay guitar] via Capitol Gallery, Cabinet Card & Carte de Visite Catalogue

ca. 1860-1890’s, [carte de visite portrait of a musician hard at work with his beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay guitar]

via Capitol Gallery, Cabinet Card & Carte de Visite Catalogue

ca. 1860-80’s, [carte de visite, portrait of a mutton chopped luthier working on a violin] via Macrafly, Curated Historic Photography

ca. 1860-80’s, [carte de visite, portrait of a mutton chopped luthier working on a violin]

via Macrafly, Curated Historic Photography

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of a fiddler] via Be-Hold, Fine Photographs

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of a fiddler]

via Be-Hold, Fine Photographs

ca. 1845, [daguerreotype portrait of a mustachioed musician holding his flute] via Luminous Lint, from the private collection of W. & T. Bosshard, Courtesy of Carl Mautz Vintage Photography & Publishing

ca. 1845, [daguerreotype portrait of a mustachioed musician holding his flute]

via Luminous Lint, from the private collection of W. & T. Bosshard, Courtesy of Carl Mautz Vintage Photography & Publishing

ca. 1870-1900’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a gentleman with his bass], R. Webber, Delabole & Tintagel via Jeffrey Kraus, Antique Photographics

ca. 1870-1900’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a gentleman with his bass], R. Webber, Delabole & Tintagel

via Jeffrey Kraus, Antique Photographics

ca. 1860-80, [cabinet card, portrait of two costumed performers, possibly of a Wild West-type show], Hennepin Studio via Cowan’s Auctions

ca. 1860-80, [cabinet card, portrait of two costumed performers, possibly of a Wild West-type show], Hennepin Studio

via Cowan’s Auctions

ca. 1870’s, [tintype portrait of a young woman with her accordion] via Ebay

ca. 1870’s, [tintype portrait of a young woman with her accordion]

via Ebay

ca. 1885, [cabinet card, portrait of a child playing his cello], Cottage Studio via Carl Mautz Vintage Photography & Publishing, Cabinet Cards

ca. 1885, [cabinet card, portrait of a child playing his cello], Cottage Studio

via Carl Mautz Vintage Photography & Publishing, Cabinet Cards

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of a woman and a gentleman, holding their guitar and a violin respectively] via Cowan’s Auctions

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of a woman and a gentleman, holding their guitar and a violin respectively]

via Cowan’s Auctions

ca. 1865-72, [tintype portrait of a couple, the gentleman with an accordion, the lady, a flower] via Southern Methodist University, Central University Libraries, DeGolyer Library, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas photography collection

ca. 1865-72, [tintype portrait of a couple, the gentleman with an accordion, the lady, a flower]

via Southern Methodist University, Central University Libraries, DeGolyer Library, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas photography collection

ca. 1870, [tintype portrait of a harmonica player] via the International Center of Photography

ca. 1870, [tintype portrait of a harmonica player]

via the International Center of Photography

ca. 1870-1900’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a smiling Alfred C. Thurston with his violin and his father, H. Thurston], Baker’s Art Gallery via Jeffrey Kraus, Antique Photographics

ca. 1870-1900’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a smiling Alfred C. Thurston with his violin and his father, H. Thurston], Baker’s Art Gallery

via Jeffrey Kraus, Antique Photographics

ca. 1860’s, [ambrotype portrait of a bright-eyed woman playing her fiddle] via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs

ca. 1860’s, [ambrotype portrait of a bright-eyed woman playing her fiddle]

via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs

ca. 1870’s, [carte de visite portrait of a dashing bemedaled man with guitar] via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs, Skylight Gallery #34

ca. 1870’s, [carte de visite portrait of a dashing bemedaled man with guitar]

via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs, Skylight Gallery #34

"Until the handkerchief of history covers us with its Times New Roman black and white post script..."

This blog is a collection of vernacular photography and ephemera focused mainly within the curious and often misunderstood realm of 19th century America. I have a soft spot for all things silly, antiquated, macabre, and grotesque. The content is from a variety of collections; public, academic, and private. In addition, there's an occasional emphasis on Ulysses S Grant and the Civil War, as well.

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Browse by Photograph Type: Tintypes, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Carte de visites, Albumen prints, Cabinet cards, Silver prints

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