Photography: post your favorite 19th century images

[sphere and ash]

Nineteenth century photographers—not one of whom devoted themselves exclusively or even largely to baseball as a subject—were sometimes able to capture stunning images in their studios by manipulating lighting, pose, or attitude. Others, before the introduction of the dry plate in the early 1880s, were able to escape the confines of the studio by taking their darkrooms with them to the baseball field.

Please post your favorite nineteenth century images: ambrotypes, cartes des visites, stereoviews, tintypes, albumen prints, and early silver prints.

My own favorite: this gorgeous portrait of a black catcher staring through his mask. For twenty years, the heroic nature of this portrait kept suggesting to me that the subject was someone important and that I needed to discover his story. After a lot of research, it turned out that he was important, and came within inches of crossing the color line. There are even some accounts that he did. I just love the white below his irises, like a boxer in a fight poster.

[GaryPassamonte]

Great idea for a thread and great image, Paul.
One of my favorites is the classic 1869 Red Stockings. Why this isn't a $50-$100K photograph, I don't know.

[bgar3]

Good idea Paul, I love the 19th century stuff now.
Gary, I think we had had a thread earlier where Kevin proved that image was the earliest of the 1869 ones. Anyway, here is one with a date along with George and Henry Chadwick.

[Leon]

This is one of my current faves.

[lumberjack]

I believe this photo was taken shortly after King Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings.
lumberjack

[sphere and ash]

Gary: I agree with you that pricing on most baseball photographs (other than Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, and Jackson) is inexplicably low. At the same time, I’m a net buyer of photographs, so I like it that way. I would be happy to see prices go down.

Bruce: Great images. Any idea what processes were used to make your Chadwick prints? Dates?

Leon: That’s such an oddly compelling image. I wish I could unravel it.

[GaryPassamonte]

I've had this ever since the Rucker auction in 1995. It's almost a piece of folk art to me.

[sphere and ash]

You bet it’s folk art. The Rucker Auction is still my favorite auction ever. What a smart collection he had.

[bgar3]

Very nice Gary, I actually think I remember that from the catalogue. I think those are Zouave pants.

[Kris19]

I still have the auction catalog and love to look through it occasionally.

Gary, here is the listing for your photo.