Not my normal -but a STUNNING find to me . . . TWO treasures within a treasure

[parsonwalker]

I found this daguerreotype picture (At least, I think that's what it is) in an antique store for $2. Yep, two bucks. I was thinking about how if his descendants knew this picture existed, it would be priceless to them. So I bought it, just to have it.



I got home and took the photo out of the frame, you know . . . just 'cause you HAVE to check . . . And there was a date, and a verse. Also some paper was stuck in the frame.



The date blew me away, because the civil war is my thing. That's my area of interest. June 7, 1862.

On that day, James Andrews was executed in Atlanta in connection with his role in the Great Locomotive chase. Also on that day, Benjamin Butler has William Mumford executed for tearing the Union flag from the mint in New Orleans. And hundreds of miles away, Union forces were shelling Chattanooga from the North side of the Tennessee river. And also on that day, perhaps on the porch of some long-forgotten plantation, someone wrote the verse which I was now reading - probably the first one to even SEE that handwriting in a very long time.

I finally was able to make out the verse. And I quote (written in cursive very faded) . . .

"The shadows caught,
the features clear.
And all but naught,
when substance near."

The verse struck me as a person looking at a picture, missing the person IN the picture. Lamenting that yes, while the shadows were "caught", frozen in the photo, and yes, the features of the loved one were clear. But oh, if that person were here with me today, standing here in "substance", this photo would be nothing to me. "All but naught." of course, that's just my interpretation.

Of course, there was also the scrap of paper. I carefully removed it, and the image stopped me in my tracks. It was a little girl. Since it was a paper photo, obviously from many years after the original portrait was made.



It may be just my imagination, but I feel like I can see a family likeness. Perhaps this was this man's daughter, or even grand-daughter many years later. I'll never know. Whether this man was a civil war soldier or not will likewise never be known. But given the date, and his apparent age - and the verse . . . longing to see him again . . . I'd say it's a very good bet.

All in all, the verse and the little girl are two treasures WITHIN a treasure to me. I wouldn't part with it now for many, many times the little token I paid for it.

 

[rastinirv]

I think you interpreted the verse perfectly. What a terrific find, and thanks for sharing it!

 

[Garrett424]

Now that is an awesome find.
I always wonder about the people in those old photos. I wonder why the little girl's picture was hidden. Did she die and maybe no one could bear to look at it??
You may never know.

 

[iloveshinythings]

Thanks for the education, man. I know nothing about images. This is on a thick piece of glass.

Awesome! Then you have an ambrotype, which was the second form of main stream photography. It was popular just prior to the civil war, and went out of fashion during the war due to the fragile nature of the images breaking as they were produced on glass.

My suggestion for you would be DON'T TRY TO CLEAN IT.

Here's an article about the process, and time frame for the images. You've got yourself a real winner!


I wouldn't be surprised if that image of the child was either a son or daughter of the man pictured. It may even be the man himself, as it was very common for little boys (up to age 8) to be posed in dresses for the photographic process! It was thought to make them look more wealthy and innocent, a popular thing during that era. However, because the image is on paper it may be more likely that it was taken after the ambrotype by around 10-15 years or so - placing the child as a son or daughter.

I've been totally hooked on these things since I was a kid, so if you have any questions, let me know!

Other than that, just enjoy it!