CDV of a naval instructor and chaplain identified in period ink on the verso as “Rev. Guthenny, H.M.S. Narcissus, 1865.” The image shows Guthenny standing beside an early wooden camera mounted on a tall tripod, posed indoors on a checkered studio floor. He stands with hands loosely clasped, looking off-frame, while the boxy camera with its brass lens points outward, capturing a remarkable occupational moment.

The subject’s dual identity—as both clergyman and practitioner of photography—is extremely unusual. While naval chaplain portraits are scarce in their own right, this image stands out as an extraordinary example of 19th-century cross-discipline documentation. Guthenny may have served as both a moral and educational figure aboard ship, but this view also suggests he was the ship's photographer, or at least had a serious interest in photography at a time when the medium was still emerging.

HMS Narcissus was a 50-gun screw frigate in service during the 1860s, with postings that included the Americas and the West Indies Station. Given the date and context, this CDV likely originated during or shortly after one of these deployments. The clarity of the image, the naval provenance, and the presence of the camera itself make this a superb piece for collectors of early photography, occupational images, or British naval history.