Carte de visite portrait of a uniformed officer taken by Bayley and Cramer of 618 and 620 Washington Street, San Francisco, adjacent to Maguire’s Opera House. The subject stands at full length with one hand resting on a neoclassical pedestal and the other holding a sword at his side. His uniform features shoulder straps, a belt with sash, gloves, and a distinctive feathered chapeau bearing a badge or insignia.



The image likely dates to the post-Civil War era, during a time of state militia prominence in California. The richly detailed studio setting and formality of the subject’s posture suggest the sitter was a figure of local authority or ceremonial importance. Bayley and Cramer were known for their “Improved Enameled Cards,” a term often associated with higher quality photographic finishes of the 1870s and 1880s. The photograph captures both regional military tradition and the tailored visual presentation that defined the era's studio portraiture.