Collection of 10 studio portrait albumen CDVs. Various locations including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Louisville, KY: various photographers including Whitehurst Gallery, Anson’s, and O’Neil & Kidder, [circa 1861-1865]. Photographer’s imprints to mount versos. Several examples with two-cent blue Washington internal revenue stamps to mount versos. Period and research identifications to mount versos.

This comprehensive 10-piece archive documents the essential rank of Hospital Steward within the Union Army. The lot provides a definitive visual study of the steward’s unique insignia, most notably the large, half-chevron "caduceus" or "mercy" stripes worn on the upper sleeves. Hospital Stewards were the non-commissioned backbone of the Union Medical Department. Often recruited from the ranks of civilian pharmacists or medical students, they were responsible for the procurement of supplies, the compounding of medicines, and the general administration of both field and general hospitals.

This lot includes the following 10 CDVs: 

1. Harris L. Sawyer (141st New York Infantry): A full-length seated study in a frock coat. There are exceptionally clear, oversized steward chevrons on the upper arm.

2. Arthur B. Cox (19th Massachusetts Infantry): A seated portrait with a greatcoat draped over a nearby chair. This view shows the caduceus insignia on a dark fatigue blouse.

3. Seated Steward (Cumberland, MD): A sharp seated study of a bearded steward. He is holding his forage cap, which features a distinct medical staff wreath.

4. Lewis Sager: A formal full-length standing study beside a studio pedestal. 

5. Steward in Rain Cover (Whitehurst): A standing portrait with a rare equipment detail: he wears a black painted-muslin rain cover stretched over his forage cap.

6. Bearded Steward (Anson’s): A full-length standing study of an unidentified steward in a long-skirted frock coat with the NCO sword and waist belt properly positioned.

7. Seated Steward (Northampton, Mass): A pensive seated study showing the subject in profile. A "half-chevron" caduceus is prominently displayed on his left arm.

8. Standing Steward (Philadelphia): A full-length study in a formal setting. The solider is wearing a senior steward's uniform with a silk sash and an NCO sword.

9. Joseph Jouy (US Regular Army Hospital Steward): A vignetted bust study with period identification on the reverse.

10. L.F. Dewey: A full-length standing study with a Louisville, KY backmark. The subject wears high "cavalry style" boots for field service.

This is a remarkably well-preserved thematic archive that combines high-grade studio photography with the rare, specialized insignia of the Union Medical Department.

[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]