Carte de visite portrait of Australian-born actress Minnie Walton, shown in full military-style costume with handsomely tailored trousers, cutaway jacket adorned with metallic buttons, and a brimmed cap tipped to the side. Walton's theatrical presence is palpable as she strikes a confident stance with one hand on her hip and gaze directed toward the camera. Her outfit and bearing reflect her reputation for cross-dressing roles and popular stage performances in both the United States and Australia during the mid-19th century.

The image is identified in period ink on the mount and was produced by Bayley & Winter’s Fine-Art Gallery, located at 618 and 620 Washington Street in San Francisco, next to Maguire’s Opera House, a prominent venue for dramatic and musical performances. The verso carries their elaborately printed backmark, underscoring the prestige of the studio and its clientele. Walton was closely associated with Maguire’s company and tragically died young in 1879, making original CDVs of her scarce and highly sought after by collectors of theatrical and performing arts history.