An unidentified African American man stands at center in this whole-plate tintype, almost certainly dating to the 1870s or 1880s based on format and presentation. He holds a dark glass bottle in his right hand and a stemmed wine glass in his left, identifying him by occupation as a steward or server. No photographer's imprint is visible, and the image is unhoused and unmounted.

The subject wears a white service jacket and a long white apron extending nearly to the floor, both consistent with professional domestic or hotel service attire of the period. His gaze is directed slightly off-camera with a composed, upright posture. The floor beneath him shows a patterned carpet, and a plain backdrop fills the upper field of the image.

Tintypes depicting African American workers in professional occupational roles are uncommon survivals from the post-Civil War decades and carry significant documentary value. The deliberate inclusion of the bottle and glass as occupational props suggests the subject chose or was directed to present his professional identity explicitly.