IMPORTANT UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPHED ROBERT E. LEE CDV PHOTOGRAPH, albumen print mounted on card being a vignette depiction of Lee looking directly into the camera, wearing a double-breasted frock coat and vest, the coat without the normally seen general’s stars and military buttons. Verso with blue 2 cent United States revenue stamp bearing an inscribed "White + Kelley" cancellation. No photographer’s imprint. Together with the photo album page originally enclosing the CDV, a related Lee volume (see provenance), and a notebook containing provenance information including copies of photos of Riverside and the Alexander family, and family history. Circa 1865. 4" x 2 3/8" overall.

Provenance: Descended in the Alexander family of "Riverside", Stuarts Draft, Augusta Co., Virginia. Discovered in a copy of "General Lee: Great Commanders Series" by Fitzhugh Lee, 1894 from the Alexander library.
Catalogue Note: This previously unpublished image is likely one of the first post-Civil War portraits of Lee taken shortly after his arrival in Lexington, Virginia. During this time period Federal law forbade Lee from displaying his Confederate insignia of rank and military buttons. A sister image, also previously unpublished, having a delineated background compared to the shaded vignette background seen on this image, was sold by Cowan’s Auctions in 2005.

Excellent condition with a bold, dark signature, card with sharp corners.