James B. Norris, identified by ink inscription on the reverse as a soldier in Company A of the Sixth Iowa, is portrayed in this albumen CDV produced during the Civil War era. The oval vignette is set within an elaborate printed decorative border featuring scrollwork, fleur-de-lis ornaments, pendant tassels, and a pointed arch crown at the top, a mount style popular in the mid-1860s. No photographer's imprint appears on the card.

Norris wears a dark military sack coat with a standing collar and a vertical row of small buttons down the front, consistent with Union enlisted dress. A diagonal strap is visible across his chest, likely a cartridge box or haversack sling. His hair is short and parted, and his expression is direct and composed in a bust-length frontal pose.

The Sixth Iowa Infantry was organized in 1861 and served in the Western Theater, participating in engagements including Shiloh, the Vicksburg Campaign, and Sherman's March to the Sea, mustering out in 1865.

The reverse bears a period ink inscription reading "James. B. Nor[ris] / Co. A / of the Sixth," with the surname partially obscured by the card edge.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer