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 356

Sixth Plate Tintype, Civil War Soldier, Company G

Estimate: $200 - $300
Starting Bid
$100

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 sixth plate tintype presents a seated Union soldier in three-quarter view, captured most likely during the Civil War era of the 1860s. The image is housed in a gilt mat with an ornate pressed-brass surround and retained in a leather case embossed with a central bird-and-foliage cartouche framed by scrollwork borders. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case or plate.

The soldier wears a nine-button dark frock coat with a standing collar, consistent with U.S. Army enlisted dress of the period. He holds his forage cap in his lap with both hands, and a detail image of the cap clearly shows a brass company letter "G" affixed to the crown, identifying him as a member of Company G. His expression is direct and composed, his dark hair short and neatly combed.

Company G designations were common across Union volunteer infantry, cavalry, and artillery regiments throughout the Civil War, and the soldier's frock coat and forage cap are consistent with standard enlisted issue of 1861 to 1865. The "G" badge on the cap is among the more legible regimental details to survive on a tintype portrait of this scale.

The reverse of the plate is unmarked, and no inscription or notation appears on the case interior or exterior.

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