Striking pair of CDVs featuring dual portraits within ornate embossed patriotic designs by A.E. Alden of Providence, Rhode Island. Each card is artistically framed with an intricate design incorporating American flags, an eagle, and a heraldic shield, surrounding two oval vignette portraits.

One CDV features Secretary of State William H. Seward and Vice President (later President) Andrew Johnson. The second presents Union General Ulysses S. Grant and General Philip Sheridan. The embossed design—marked “Patent applied for”—is a characteristic creation of Alden, known for his finely printed cartes with decorative nationalistic themes, likely aimed at boosting Northern morale during or just after the Civil War.