Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Spring Photographic History Auction

Sat, May 3, 2025 01:00PM EDT
  2025-05-03 13:00:00 2025-05-03 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : Spring Photographic History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/spring-photographic-history-auction-19217
Raw, rare, and unforgettable—this is 19th- and early 20th-century photography at its best. Vernacular portraits, Native American warriors, African American resilience, Mormon pioneers, Western frontier families, and stark post-mortem scenes. Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDVs, and cabinet cards that capture real life without filters. Every image tells a story of survival, pride, and change. A museum-worthy collection for those who know real American history when they see it.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 234

CDV of a Harness Maker with His Stitching Pony, Walkerton, Indiana

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

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Outstanding occupational carte de visite featuring a young harness maker seated next to a leather-stitching horse, captured in the studio of Geo. D. Ewing, Walkerton, Indiana. The subject is crisply posed in work clothes—rolled sleeves, suspenders, and apron—with his hand resting on the distinctive stitching pony, a tool essential for precision leatherwork.

<br><br>The backmark for "Geo. D. Ewing, Photographer, Walkerton, Ind." is printed in elaborate period typography, helping firmly situate the image geographically and historically. The CDV remains in very good condition, with minor edge wear consistent with age. Occupational portraits of working-class Americans, especially showing unusual or job-specific equipment, are increasingly sought after, and this example is both compelling and authentic—a powerful reminder of the pride artisans and tradesmen took in their labor.

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