Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 371

CDV, Town Hall, Group Portrait on Grounds

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A large group of figures populates the grounds before a Greek Revival town hall in this albumen CDV, likely dating to the 1860s based on the wide hoop skirts and crinoline silhouettes worn by the majority of those present. The building is a two-story clapboard structure with a pedimented front facade, round oculus window, columned entry portico with second-floor balcony, and a square cupola topped by a decorative weathervane. The photographer's imprint is not visible on the mount.

Women in full-skirted light dresses dominate the foreground, several seated on the lawn while others stand in loose groupings across the sloping grounds. Male figures in dark coats are scattered along the building's base, and at least two individuals appear on the second-floor balcony. Young saplings line the approach to the entrance, and mature trees frame the left edge of the composition.

The oval vignette format and albumen print technique are consistent with CDV production of the Civil War era, placing this gathering within a community of some civic pride. The formal architecture and assembled crowd suggest a public occasion of local significance.

The verso is inscribed in ink: "Town Hall." A larger photograph of the same composition accompanies this lot.

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