A poignant collection of 5 Civil War-era albumen CDVs featuring Union soldiers posing with their wives or sweethearts. These "farewell" portraits were among the most sentimental objects of the era, serving as tangible connections between the home front and the battlefront. The lot is notable for its variety of uniforms and prestigious studio imprints, including Fredricks of New York and several notable regional galleries. This lot includes: 

1. E. R. Waterman, 3rd New York Light Artillery: A striking seated study artilleryman in a musician's jacket and his companion. Photographed by W. G. Smith of Cooperstown, New York. The soldier’s elaborate uniform and the woman’s protective hand on his shoulder make this a premier example of the genre.

2. Sergeant by A. N. Hardy: A full-length portrait of a seated sergeant with his wife standing beside him. Photographed in Bucksport, Maine. The subject wears a well-tailored frock coat with prominent sergeant's chevrons and holds his forage cap.

3. Officer by Charles D. Fredricks & Co.: A formal standing study of an officer in a frock coat with his seated companion. This New York imprint represents the high-end "specialty" portraiture for which the Fredricks gallery was famous.

4. Couple by E. Decker: A standing full-length study from Cleveland, Ohio. The subject wears a sack coat and civilian-style neckwear, possibly a new recruit or an officer in undress uniform.

5. Couple in Ornate Mount: A full-length standing portrait of a young couple. The soldier appears in a standard four-button sack coat, while the woman wears a highly fashionable tiered dress of the mid-1860s.

The Rick Carlile collection was legendary for its staggering depth and the discerning eye of its creator, who prioritized historical significance and visual "wow" factor above all else. This lot serves as a quintessential dealer’s choice selection, representing the exact type of high-upside material that Carlile spent decades accumulating.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]

Generally fine with strong tonal contrast across the lot. Typical age-related foxing and light wear to the mounts as expected. One card features a period ink identification and regimental designation for the 3rd New York Light Artillery. A touching and visually cohesive grouping for the specialist collector.