Full-length standing studio portrait albumen CDV. Virginia, N.T. [Virginia City, Nevada Territory]: Sutterley Brothers, Photographers, Union Block, B Street, cor. Taylor, [circa 1864]. Photographer's imprint and canceled 3-cent US Internal Revenue proprietary stamp to mount verso.

This exceptionally rare full-length portrait captures an unidentified cavalryman photographed in the booming silver rush town of Virginia City, Nevada Territory. The trooper presents a rugged, frontier appearance, wearing a dark forage cap, a non-regulation short jacket over a civilian cravat or bowtie, light trousers and tall riding boots. He is heavily armed, resting his right hand on a large-frame revolver placed upon a studio balustrade while his left hand grips his cavalry saber. This carte offers a spectacular glimpse into the unique martial fashion of the Western frontier. The reverse of the mount bears the highly coveted imprint of the Sutterley Brothers in "Virginia, N.T." alongside a green 3-cent revenue stamp. Because the photographic revenue tax was implemented in August 1864 and Nevada achieved statehood on 31 October 1864, this territorial imprint dates to a remarkably historic and narrow window of the American West.

During the Civil War, the Nevada Territory was a vital economic engine for the Union cause due to the massive silver strikes of the Comstock Lode. To protect the overland mail routes, telegraph lines and silver shipments from Native American raids and potential Confederate partisan activity, the government authorized the raising of local troops. This rugged trooper is likely a member of the 1st Battalion Nevada Volunteer Cavalry, or perhaps a California cavalryman stationed in the territory to keep the peace in the rowdy mining towns. Photographs of Civil War soldiers bearing Nevada Territory backmarks are exceedingly scarce and represent a holy grail for collectors of both Western Americana and Civil War photography. 

[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]

The image is in good to very good condition. The albumen surface exhibits a soft, pleasing tonality with good contrast, capturing the painted studio backdrop and the soldier's weaponry clearly. There is some minor surface wear, light age-related mottling and minor edge wear typical of period photography.