RZM Fine Arts and Antiques Inc: Ask the Appraiser

We wanted to tell how much we really enjoy reading this column each week. Thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge. The item I have sent over for appraisal is this very old photo of a relative of mine that fought in the Union army during the Civil War. Sadly, we were told that he did not survive the war. Believe it or not, this picture appears to be on glass which seems odd to me. We recently were having a yard sale, as we are moving to an apartment and substantially downsizing. We don’t have any children, so we were selling a great deal of our “older” stuff. During our sale, two men actually got into what I will call a heated argument over which one of them saw this little photograph first. Both men obviously wanted to buy it. As we had no idea of its value, we were asking $20.00. Because of their rude behavior towards each other, we decided not to sell it to either of them. That evening we decided to contact you to find out the true value of this item. I now realize that I should have contacted you prior to putting it out in a yard sale. After this terrible incident we are really interested to know more about it. Primarily, what is it worth. I’m hoping that you can and will help us.

Confused in Closter

You have learned a valuable lesson. If you are not aware of the value of a specific item you intend to sell, do not put it out for sale. Contact an expert or someone who has knowledge about the item first. Then you will be able to make an educated determination as to the item’s value. I am happy to learn that you did not sell this valuable 19th century photograph at your yard sale for twenty bucks. I was able to enlarge this photograph, which is a type of early photography known as a daguerreotype. It pictures a standing portrait of a Union soldier in the rank of corporal assigned to the 59th New York Infantry Regiment, during the Civil War. This regiment saw a great deal of action during that war. As part of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac, it played a significant role in battles such as Antietam and Gettysburg. Both were major battles. This information is one reason for the value of this photograph. Next, the photo itself has remained in excellent condition, a nice clear image, with no wear or damage. Another plus is that the photo appears to be mounted in its original gutta-percha case. All this is good news in terms of value to a collector. But now however, I have some really great news and probably the reason why I suspect these “gentlemen” were arguing over which one would purchase this item. If you look carefully on the inside of the case with a magnifying glass you can still read the name of the photographer that actually took this photograph. It clearly reads “BRADY’S GALLERY.” Which indicates this daguerreotype photo was taken by Mathew Brady (1822-1896). Brady was one of the earliest and most famous photographers in American history. Most notably known for his images of the Civil War. In addition, he was a student of Samuel Morse who pioneered daguerreotype photography in America. In 1861 Brady was given permission by President Abraham Lincoln to travel with the Union army and photograph the various battles during the Civil War. In the course of photographing these battles he came under direct fire several times. While photographing the Battle of Bull Run, he was so close to the action that he barely avoided being captured by the Confederate army. In 1862 Brady featured an exhibit in his New York City studio of the photographs from the Battle of Antietam. Many of the images were quite graphic in nature. Something Americans saw for the first time. The reality of what war was really like. Brady also photographed President Lincoln on many occasions. As a matter of fact, it is his Lincoln photograph that has been used on the $5 dollar note and the Lincoln cent, as well as several postage stamps. I hope you’re starting to get the idea why your photograph is not only valuable but an important Civil War artifact as well. Now I can answer the big overriding question for you, as to what is it worth monetarily? In the current strong military collectibles market a conservative appraised value for this outstanding image is $1,200 USD. I’ll see you at your next yard sale!