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Ambrotype of two amputees, almost certainly Civil War casualties. U.S.A., 1861-65.
by Photographer unknown
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Armadale, Victoria, Australia
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Ambrotype (wet collodion positive), 80 x 70 mm (sight); housed in a double elliptical brass mat under cover glass, in a half leather case with geometric design; the ambrotype has some tiny mould spiders, minor crazing and specks of dust, but is otherwise in very good condition. It has been estimated that 60,000 surgical amputations were performed on soldiers during the American Civil War. Therefore it does not seem unreasonable to speculate that this poignant portrait shows two affectionate comrades who have both lost their right lower limb fighting for the Union or the Confederacy. The ambrotype - from the Greek ambrotos, ""immortal"" - is created using the wet plate collodion process developed by the English inventor Frederick Scott Archer, which came into vogue in Europe and North America from around 1854 as a cheaper alternative to the daguerreotype. A glass plate covered with a thin layer of collodion, then dipped in a silver nitrate solution, is exposed to the subject while still wet, then developed and fixed. When the reverse of this negative image is coated with a dark emulsion such as varnish or paint, the resulting image appears as a positive. The process requires the expertise and experience of a professional photographer. Every ambrotype is a unique image that can only be duplicated by copying with another camera.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Douglas Stewart Fine Books
(AU)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 43408
- Title
- Ambrotype of two amputees, almost certainly Civil War casualties. U.S.A., 1861-65.
- Author
- Photographer unknown
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
Terms of Sale
Douglas Stewart Fine Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Douglas Stewart Fine Books
Biblio member since 2022
Armadale, Victoria
About Douglas Stewart Fine Books
Douglas Stewart Fine Books is an antiquarian bookseller based in Melbourne, Australia. We buy and sell books both locally and around the world, working closely with clients to understand their collecting priorities and to source appropriate material. Our clients include libraries, galleries, museums, private collectors and fellow members of the trade.
Douglas began buying and selling books in 1995, while still in high school. He is a member of the major international trade associations, and his business is conducted according to their high ethical standards. For many years Douglas has been a Board member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB); he is also a Mentor for the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
Douglas is currently the President of ANZAAB.
Our stock at Douglas Stewart Fine Books is diverse: we have rare books across all fields, but our strengths are in travel and exploration – particularly of Australia and the Pacific – and Australian art. In addition to rare books, we deal in all types of heritage material, including photographs, manuscripts, maps and globes, and fine art. Every month we issue a new online catalogue of New Acquisitions, and recommend that you join our email list to be the first to see what's available. Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding any works you see online – we are always happy to assist with your enquiries.
We love meeting new people and welcome visitors to our shop, which is open six days a week. If you cannot make it to Melbourne, you can find us at major fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, Hong Kong or Sydney. We're pleased to invite you to any of these exhibitions as our guest.
Last, but not least, we buy books – from important single items to entire libraries – and we'd be pleased to provide advice on the best way to sell your collection.
Douglas Stewart Fine Books
Douglas began buying and selling books in 1995, while still in high school. He is a member of the major international trade associations, and his business is conducted according to their high ethical standards. For many years Douglas has been a Board member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB); he is also a Mentor for the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
Douglas is currently the President of ANZAAB.
Our stock at Douglas Stewart Fine Books is diverse: we have rare books across all fields, but our strengths are in travel and exploration – particularly of Australia and the Pacific – and Australian art. In addition to rare books, we deal in all types of heritage material, including photographs, manuscripts, maps and globes, and fine art. Every month we issue a new online catalogue of New Acquisitions, and recommend that you join our email list to be the first to see what's available. Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding any works you see online – we are always happy to assist with your enquiries.
We love meeting new people and welcome visitors to our shop, which is open six days a week. If you cannot make it to Melbourne, you can find us at major fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, Hong Kong or Sydney. We're pleased to invite you to any of these exhibitions as our guest.
Last, but not least, we buy books – from important single items to entire libraries – and we'd be pleased to provide advice on the best way to sell your collection.
Douglas Stewart Fine Books
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Plate
- Full page illustration or photograph. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e.,...
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