Sixth plate hand-tinted ambrotype. Leatherette case. Anonymous artist. Inscription in the interior of the case reads: “Joseph HM Daniel.”

Portrait of a wide-eyed Confederate recruit. Still in civilian clothing, the young man nevertheless strikes a distinctly rebel pose for the lens with weapons in each hand, one of them the quintessential southern armament- a massive Bowie knife. A period pencil inscription inside the case reads “Joseph HM Daniel”. More research may pin down precisely which Joseph Daniel (or perhaps McDaniel) is shown here.


[Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, Tintype, Carte-de-visite, CDV, Albumen, Mexican War, Mexican American War, Civil War, Slavery, Abolitionist, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Early Photography]

Provenance: Herb Peck assembled one of the first and greatest collections of historic American photography before it was stolen in 1978 from his Nashville home. Once thought lost forever, authorities recently traced an unexpected clue and discovered many of Herb’s images unscathed after nearly 45 years in hiding. These daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes comprise one of the most important collections of Civil War portrait photography ever curated. Herb Peck was a true pioneer who understood both the historic and artistic merit of portraits showing the common Civil War soldier at a time when they were often overlooked. These photographs are deeply important to our shared American history, and Fleischer's Auctions is proud to make them publicly available on behalf of the Peck family.

As represented. For a full condition report, please email us.