auction block, The

Military Images, Mar/Apr 2002

From the auction held October 3, 2001, by Southeby's, New York, the following lot was sold:

Lot 104, Anonymous photographer. Selected Civil War studies at Cairo, Illinois. A group of 12 images of Cairo, Illinois, and Fort Prentiss, including studies of troops, artillery, the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and the town of Cairo, salt and possibly coated salt or early albumen prints, each with rounded corners, mounted, captioned in an unidentified hand in pencil on the mount and occasionally on the image, matted, 1861.

This series of images is believed to have been made during the first year of the war in Cairo. The camp there was first named Fort Prentiss, after Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss. In September 1861 the fort was renamed Fort Defiance. As the captions on the present photographs refer to the military installation only as Fort Prentiss, it is assumed that these pictures were taken before September.

Some of the views appear to have been taken from a height, possibly from the roof of the five-- story St. Charles Hotel, the tallest building in the town. There are six views, numbered one to six, that when placed side-by-side, loosely form a panoramic view of the city and environs taken from a height. These six views are numbered and titled, "No. 1. The Point"; No. 2, Barracks of Col. Morgans Regt."; No. 3, Col. Oglesby's Headquarters and Barracks"; "No. 4 [view of the town of Cairo with several buildings identified in pencil]"; "No. 5 [view of the town with brigade hospital and Jefferson Avenue identified]"; and "No. 6 [view of the Levee of the Ohio River with several sites identified]."

Most unusual among the images is a study of the 64-- pounder Columbiad cannon titled, "The large sixty-four pound Columbiad, Taken at instant of firing." Other views of troops are: "Preparing to fire the Big Gun"; "View at Fort Prentiss (the old distillery at the point)"; "Swearing of Capt. Smith's artillery boys at Camp Smith"; "A Squad of Capt. Smith's battery - Lieut. Woods in command"; and "Capt. Jim Smith's full Battery of four guns." The lot brought $68,000.

From auction 17 held by Signature House, Bridgeport, West Virginia, June, 2001:

Lot 175, a bust portrait CDV of Confederate Major General Raleigh Colston with no backstamp, light toning; negligible chip at bottom left corner mount but otherwise very good to fine brought $100.

Lot 177, a three quarter length standing portrait CDV of Jefferson Davis with an E.&H.T. Anthony, New York, backmark, with light foxing and toning, brought $250.

Lot 187, a three quarter length standing portrait CDV of Confederate General William Hardee with an E.&H.T. Anthony, New York, backmark with normal age toning and mounting residue on the verso brought $170.

Lot 203, a bust portrait vignette CDV of Confederate general Earl Van Dom, with no back stamp and occasional foxing but otherwise very good brought $130.

Lot 206, A CDV with an 1862 photograph identified on the verso as "Principal Street, With Court House Yorktown, Brady's Album Gallery." Light soiling, otherwise very good to fine, brought $150.

Lot 213, a sixth plate Ambrotype seated half length portrait of a Confederate officer in uniform with tinted buttons and an Austrian knot on the sleeves in excellent condition in a full leather case with a repaired spine brought $525.