Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Spring Photographic History Auction

Sat, May 3, 2025 01:00PM EDT
Lot 199

Tintype Portrait of Wallace Bruce, Author of "The Hudson"

Estimate: $200 - $300

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Striking tintype portrait believed to depict Wallace Bruce, the American author, poet, and historian best known for his 1880s work The Hudson, a poetic homage to the iconic river. The subject is shown leaning contemplatively on a cane, dressed in a boldly patterned coat with a wide-brimmed hat, posed indoors on a wood-planked floor with soft directional lighting highlighting the texture of his garments and facial features.

The reverse of the plate bears a period paper label inscribed in pencil, identifying the sitter as "Wallace Bruce / Author Homestead Poems." While the full provenance of the inscription is unknown, the distinctive dress and striking resemblance to known portraits of Bruce suggest this could be an authentic and previously unpublished image of the noted literary figure.

Measuring approximately 2" x 5", the tintype shows light surface wear and scattered bends, most visible along the edges and corners, consistent with handling and age. A compelling piece of 19th-century portraiture with intriguing literary and cultural associations.

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