ca. 1880-1910, [cabinet card, portrait of two young girls photographing a dance between two others], Donnell via Be-Hold Fine Photographs

ca. 1880-1910, [cabinet card, portrait of two young girls photographing a dance between two others], Donnell

via Be-Hold Fine Photographs

ca. 1865, [tintype portrait of a photographer with his camera] via the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

ca. 1865, [tintype portrait of a photographer with his camera]

via the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

ca. 1890’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a woman with a camera] via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1890’s, [cabinet card, portrait of a woman with a camera]

via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1880-1900, [tintype portrait of a gentleman gesturing into a neck support device] via the Library of Congress, Miscellaneous Items in High Demand

ca. 1880-1900, [tintype portrait of a gentleman gesturing into a neck support device]

via the Library of Congress, Miscellaneous Items in High Demand

ca. 1850’s [post mortem daguerreotype of a woman with a book] via Live Auctioneers, Be-Hold

ca. 1850’s [post mortem daguerreotype of a woman with a book]

via Live Auctioneers, Be-Hold

ca. 1880-90’s, [cabinet card portrait of Miss Martin of the “Albino Sisters”], Charles Eisenmann via the Syracuse University Library, the Ronald G. Becker Collection of Charles Eisenmann Photographs

ca. 1880-90’s, [cabinet card portrait of Miss Martin of the “Albino Sisters”], Charles Eisenmann

via the Syracuse University Library, the Ronald G. Becker Collection of Charles Eisenmann Photographs

ca. 1847, [Reenactment of the First Public Demonstration of the Surgical Use of Ether], Southworth and Hawes via Harvard University, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Department of Photographs

ca. 1847, [Reenactment of the First Public Demonstration of the Surgical Use of Ether], Southworth and Hawes

via Harvard University, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Department of Photographs

ca. 1851-52, [daguerreotype of a river mining operation at Grizzly Flat, El Dorado Co.], G.H. Johnson via the Online Archives of California, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library, Zelda Mackay Pictorial Collection

ca. 1851-52, [daguerreotype of a river mining operation at Grizzly Flat, El Dorado Co.], G.H. Johnson

via the Online Archives of California, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library, Zelda Mackay Pictorial Collection

ca. 1855, [skeleton specimen salt print of Dinornis Elephantopus, for the British Museum], Roger Fenton via the J. Paul Getty Museum, Prints, Photographic Collections

ca. 1855, [skeleton specimen salt print of Dinornis Elephantopus, for the British Museum], Roger Fenton

via the J. Paul Getty Museum, Prints, Photographic Collections

ca. 1902, [Phrenologist Bernard Hollander illustrating with his own head his system of cranial measurements, no. 1 from a panel of 18 photographs], Bernard Hollander via the Wellcome Library, Iconographic Collections

ca. 1902, [Phrenologist Bernard Hollander illustrating with his own head his system of cranial measurements, no. 1 from a panel of 18 photographs], Bernard Hollander

via the Wellcome Library, Iconographic Collections

ca. 1870, [carte de visite portrait of the photographer, Benjamin Lochman, with his camera],  B. Lochman’s Photographic Gallery via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs

ca. 1870, [carte de visite portrait of the photographer, Benjamin Lochman, with his camera],  B. Lochman’s Photographic Gallery

via Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs

ca. 1896, “The Operating Theatre [Metropolitan Hospital, London]” via the Wellcome Library, Archives and Manuscripts Collections

ca. 1896, “The Operating Theatre [Metropolitan Hospital, London]”

via the Wellcome Library, Archives and Manuscripts Collections

ca. 1850’s, [portrait of a gentleman with photographic equipment] via the Nederlands Fotomuseum, Daguerreobase

ca. 1850’s, [portrait of a gentleman with photographic equipment]

via the Nederlands Fotomuseum, Daguerreobase

ca. 1852, “Fire Engine Dinkey, Union Fire Company”, Thomas M. Easterly via the Missouri History Museum

ca. 1852, “Fire Engine Dinkey, Union Fire Company”, Thomas M. Easterly

via the Missouri History Museum

ca. 1862, [Portrait of Joseph T. Clover preparing his chloroform inhaler] via the Wellcome Library, Archives & Manuscripts Collections

ca. 1862, [Portrait of Joseph T. Clover preparing his chloroform inhaler]

via the Wellcome Library, Archives & Manuscripts Collections

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

This blog is a collection of photographs 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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Tags: Civil War, Emotive, Medicine, Post Mortem, Spirit photography, Erotic, Photo-manipulation, Cross-dressing, Hidden mother, Children, Pets, Dogs, Circus, Sideshow, Guns, Weapons, Beer, Wine, Instruments, Lookout Mountain, Ulysses S. Grant, Sad-looking Ulysses S. Grant, Posts About Me

Tintypes, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Carte de visites, Albumen prints, Cabinet cards, Silver prints

My Other Blogs & Websites:
Heck Yes, Americana Blog
Decorative Indulgences Blog
Fuck Yeah, American Art Blog
Personal Blog
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