An important collection of three original albumen cartes-de-visite capturing individual Union soldiers displaying exceptionally rare, specialized non-commissioned officer and trade sleeve insignia. 

The lot includes: 

1. Farrier or Blacksmith: Full-length standing studio portrait of a soldier wearing a standard four-button fatigue blouse, featuring a highly distinct, large embroidered horseshoe emblem sewn onto his upper sleeve. He rests his hand on an upholstered parlor chair, posed against a neutral studio backdrop. The reverse features an expansive period pencil inscription identifying him as "Capt Saml Clark / of Newcastle Me. / Company E Second Reg Cav." Clark enrolled in Company E of the 2nd Maine Cavalry in late 1863, serving as a specialized company farrier and blacksmith managing vital horse-mobility logistics during deep raiding campaigns across Florida and Alabama.

2. Regimental Color Sergeant: Full-length standing studio portrait of a non-commissioned officer in a standard infantry frock coat, proudly displaying the highly coveted, regulation wartime color sergeant sleeve insignia consisting of a star embroidered above his sergeant chevrons. The reverse features a faint period pencil signature at the top margin reading "Mr. John A. Sumner, Owego / Tioga Co. / NY." Sumner served as a highly exposed regimental color bearer of the 109th New York Infantry through the stunning losses of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and the Crater; he was severely wounded in action at Poplar Spring Church during the Siege of Petersburg and discharged in October 1864.

3. Infantry Pioneer or Color Sergeant Variant: Full-length standing studio portrait of a soldier sharply attired in a dark frock coat with light-colored piping and high-contrast collar trim. His sleeve bears a specialized insignia featuring an embroidered device positioned directly above his corporal chevrons, representing either a pioneer's crossed axes or an alternate regional variant of the color bearer's heraldry. He stands confidently with one hand tucked into his coat, next to a draped table. The reverse is blank besides research notations. 

Wartime studio portraits explicitly capturing specialized trade and position insignia represent a premier, high-priority collecting category within the Civil War photographic marketplace. 

[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]

Very good overall. All three albumen prints exhibit fine visual definition and strong tonal contrast. The mounts show only standard, nominal light age-toning and faint surface handling appropriate for their age.