Posted By:
barrysloateThere is a possibility that the original exists, and the one you purchased from REA is of an indeterminate date but likely quite a bit later than 1859.
I also recall that the Spalding Collection at the New York Public Library has a negative of this image, and it is reasonable to assume that Al Spalding had copies made for friends and alumni of the two teams as requested.
I should add that of course the negative hadn't been invented by 1859, so maybe an original was reshot at some later date.