A group of 16 photographs including 5 daguerreotypes, 1 ambrotype, 6 Civil War-era CDVs, and 4 later CDVs and cabinet cards. 

An Excellent grouping of early photography that appears to be an archive of the Ensign family of upstate New York. Also included are two letters, housed in their original envelopes, that were sent between members of the Ensign family. 

Of primary interest in the group is an outstanding hand-tinted CDV that depicts a baseball player in full uniform with his bat at his side. Inscribed "Knee Ball!" in ink below the photograph, this is likely a reference to the very early practice of a batter calling for the pitcher to throw his pitch at knee height.

Other highlights include two CDVs of Union soldiers in uniform, one of whom is armed with a sword, and a charming daguerrotype of two young ladies in matching patterned dresses and fingerless gloves. A pair of c. 1880 cabinet-style cards depict Albany-area cemetery plots for both the Ensign and Eaves families, who were related by marriage.

More research may uncover who the soldiers and ballplayer pictured in this group were. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Sports, Sports History, Baseball, Baseball History] [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]