A museum-grade collection of seven (7) original albumen carte-de-visite photographs documenting commissioned officers and staff of the legendary 1st and 2nd United States Sharp Shooters (Berdan's). The group features an incredible array of premier period imprints, autographs, and matching studio variants.

The lot includes: 

1. James D. Fessenden (Seated): Waist-up portrait looking left in general's frock coat with forage cap in lap; reverse features Kimball & Son backmark with early pencil tracking noting his service as Captain in the 2nd U.S.S.S. and later staff service under Hooker.

2. James D. Fessenden (Brady Standing Variant A): Full-length standing Brady portrait with hand tucked into frock coat next to a carved chair; front margin bears Brady Washington letterpress with a large oval National Photographic Portrait Galleries backmark on the reverse.

3. James D. Fessenden (Brady Standing Variant B): Identical full-length standing print from the same Brady negative sequence, mounted on a separate card with an identical Washington front credit and oval reverse gallery stamp.

4. George E. Albee: Vignette bust portrait looking left in forage cap and officer frock coat. Albee was shot through the body at the Battle of Chancellorsville, while fighting as an enlisted marksman in Company G, 1st U.S.S.S. He survived the severe torso wound to later earn a commission and the Medal of Honor on the western frontier.

5. Martin V. Bronson: Full-length portrait of a 1st U.S.S.S. lieutenant standing with arms crossed beside a column and painted landscape; back features an elegant F. Mowrey, Rutland, Vt. imprint and a crisp period ink presentation signature "M.V. Bronson / 1st U S.S.S. / To F.S. Bush."

6. William B. Reynolds: Full-length portrait of the 2nd U.S.S.S. surgeon standing in a long winter frock coat with hand on hip; reverse bears a Yeaw & Co., Lawrence, Mass. imprint and a sweeping period ink presentation inscription signed as surgeon "Compliments of / Wm. B. Reynolds / Surg 2d USSS."

7. A. G. Fisher: Vignette bust portrait of a 2nd U.S.S.S. lieutenant looking right in a frock coat; reverse features a completely blank mount backdrop with a period ink identification tracking his rank in Company G.

Authentic photographic groupings of identified officers from Berdan's United States Sharp Shooters occupy the absolute highest tier of rarity and value in the Civil War marketplace. Because the entire brigade was small, highly specialized, and suffered immense field attrition, verified likenesses are notoriously difficult to secure. The commercial value of this lot is exponentially multiplied by its inclusion of an institutional-grade multi-sitting Brady archive for General Fessenden, a definitive portrait of a future Medal of Honor recipient, and premium period presentation autographs. Representing a once-in-a-generation gathering of the North's premier marksmen elite, this archive serves as a museum-quality centerpiece for the most sophisticated photographic collection.

[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]

Very good to fine overall. The albumen prints retain beautiful, rich tonal ranges, sharpdefinition, and excellent sepia contrast that showcases the fine features and uniform details of the officers. The mounts are structurally crisp and unclipped.