Full-length studio portrait albumen CDV. New York, NY: E. Anthony from a Brady National Portrait Gallery negative, [circa 1861]. Photographer's imprint to mount verso. Period pencil and modern ink identifications to mount verso read: "Sergt. Dore / 7 Reg" and "Sergeant Joseph Dore, 3d Co. - served / in 1861, 1862 & 1863 calls."

This outstanding full-length portrait captures Sergeant Joseph Dore of the 7th New York State Militia in complete, heavy marching order. Shown in profile to highlight his extensive accoutrements, Dore is burdened with a knapsack topped with a blanket roll, a tarred haversack, a canteen, and a cartridge box. He stands at attention, grasping his rifle-musket with a fixed bayonet. His uniform features the distinctive trouser stripes of the 7th NYSM and prominently displays his sergeant's chevrons. This image represents the quintessential study of a fully equipped Union infantryman heading off to the front.

The 7th New York State Militia, often referred to as the Silk Stocking Regiment due to the elite social status of many of its members, was one of the most famous militia units of the era. As noted on the reverse of the mount, Dore answered the call to arms three separate times—in 1861, 1862, and 1863—deploying to defend Washington D.C. and Baltimore during periods of extreme crisis for the Union.

The reverse of the mount features the highly desirable imprint of E. Anthony, noting that the image was produced from a photographic negative from Brady's National Portrait Gallery. Mathew Brady’s studio famously captured numerous members of the 7th NYSM as they prepared to depart for Washington in April 1861. This collaboration between Brady's unmatched studio framing and Anthony's mass production capabilities resulted in some of the most iconic images of the early war period.

[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, Stereographs] [Civil War, Union, Confederate]

The image is in very good condition, exhibiting rich tonal contrast that allows for a clear examination of the soldier's equipment, from the straps of his knapsack to the lock plate of his musket. The albumen surface is well-preserved with minor age-related toning.