Civil War Era!

Grant’s First Attack at Vicksburg

May 19, 1863

Unidentified artist, American, 19th century

Officers of “Mendota” by Mathew B. Brady, The Met’s Photography Department

Medium: Albumen silver print from glass negative

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1933 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Camp of 153rd New York Infantry by Mathew B. Brady, The Met’s Photos

Antique leather books are beautiful and timeless

Some people collect antique leather-bound books for purely aesthetic reasons, using them as decorative objects to fill the shelves of a living room or study. Others collect for content, choosing leather-bound versions of their favorite novels or historical works of literature.

Private presses famous for their leather-bound books include The Kelmscott Press, which was founded in 1891 by English Arts and Crafts evangelist William Morris. Kelmscott inspired Elbert Hubbard to set up the Roycroft Press in the United States.

Union Cavalry Winter Quarters by Mathew B. Brady, The Met’s Photography Department

Medium: Albumen silver print from glass negative

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1933 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

For many, the American Civil War is an event buried in the past with little connecting us to it. Here at Special Collections, though, we have a physical piece of that history!

Invented in 1839 by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, daguerrotypes (pictured above) used a copper plate onto which photographs would be directly exposed and thus imprinted. As in this one, daguerreotypes usually held portraits, so that those who could afford it could maintain an intimate, personal photograph of a loved one close at hand.

Portrait of an unidentified Union officer during the American Civil War, c. 1860′s. Attributed to Mathew Brady.

Portrait photograph of Cicero Newell in uniform, from the Civil War 3rd Michigan Cavalry picture album. Handwritten on front: “Cicero Newell.” Handwritten on back: “Promoted to Major of the 10th Mich. Cav. Left Regt. at Corinth, Sept. 25th, 1863.” Printed on back: “Howard & Hall. Artists, Corinth, Miss.”

A selection of stereocards from our Prominent Portraits series, 1870s-1880s. The side-by-side photographs produce a 3D image when viewed through a stereoscope.

Albumen silver prints taken during the American Civil War. Untitled (Encampment) and Army of the Potomac: G. G. Meade, A. E. Burnside, G. K. Warren, H. G. Wright, W. S. Hancock, “Baldy” Smith, Ulysses Grant.