COLLECTION GUIDES

ca. 1859-1875; bulk: ca. 1860-1865

Guide to the Photograph Collection


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection contains carte de visite photographs collected by Charles W. Jenks that depict Civil War soldiers and officers, American politicians and public figures, and European royalty, mostly dating from ca. 1860-1865.

Collection Description

This collection contains 1,356 cartes de visite and 2 tintypes collected by Charles W. Jenks during and after the Civil War. The cartes de visite depict both Union and Confederate officers and soldiers, as well as American political and public figures who were prominent during the Civil War. Many of the soldiers depicted served with various Massachusetts infantry, cavalry, and artillery regiments. There are also some photographs that depict European royalty, political, and military figures, as well as carte de visite reproductions of artwork and some views of places in Europe, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.

Many of the photographs in this collection are reproductions of earlier photographs (including daguerreotypes and ambrotypes) that were reproduced for mass publication. Publishers include E. Anthony (New York, N.Y.), who reproduced photographs taken by Mathew B. Brady and Brady's National Portrait Gallery; D. Appleton & Co. (New York, N.Y.), who reproduced photographs taken by Augustus Austin Turner; and J. E. Tilton & Co. (Boston, Mass.), who reproduced photographs taken by James Wallace Black, among others. There are also original photographers represented in the collection, including James Wallace Black, Antoine Sonrel, John Adams Whipple, and Silsbee, Case & Co., all of Boston, Mass., as well as Charles D. Fredricks & Co. of New York, N.Y., among others. Some European photographers and publishers are also present in the collection.

Most of the photographs are identified on their verso. Additionally, the collection includes eight volumes of indexes to the collection, all written by Jenks. Information from these volumes has been reproduced below in the Detailed Description of the Collection.

Acquisition Information

This collection was a gift to the Massachusetts Historical Society by Charles W. Jenks in Apr. 1894.

Arrangement

Boxes 1-9 contain portraits arranged alphabetically by subject. Box 9 also contains views and reproductions of artwork, which follow the portraits. Box 10 contains 8 vols. of indexes to the collection.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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Preferred Citation

Charles W. Jenks carte de visite collection, Photo. Coll. 126, Massachusetts Historical Society Photo Archives.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Black, James Wallace, 1825-1896, photographer.
Brady, Mathew B., 1823 (ca.)-1896, photographer.
Fredricks, Charles DeForest, 1823-1894, photographer.
Sonrel, Antoine, d. 1879, photographer.
Whipple, John Adams, 1822-1891, photographer.

Organizations:

Confederate States of America. Army--Officers--Photographs.
United States. Army--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Photographs.
Silsbee, Case & Co. (Boston, Mass.), photographers.
E. & H.T. Anthony (Firm), publishers.

Subjects:

Kings and rulers--Photographs.
Legislators--United States--Photographs.
Soldiers--United States--Photographs.
Women--Portraits--Photographs.
Europe--19th century--Photographs.
Massachusetts--19th century--Photographs.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Photographs.
Cartes de visite.
Portrait photographs.
Tintypes.

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