A Moment Frozen In Time ..
For these two brother's, cousins, or possibly friends, my light research would prove it an impossibility, figuring out who exactly these two gentlemen are and their relationship to one another. On the other hand, a few of the puzzle pieces would come together, and in the end I had answered at least a few of the questions that were bouncing around in my head.
This would all begin with the spontaneous purchase of a bucket of buttons
The Discovery ..
While searching through a BOATLOAD of buttons I purchased, I discovered many items. The buttons came in a deteriorating cardboard box, then shoved into a rather large bucket. I really had no clue that I was not only purchasing buttons, but also a bucket of history.
I found all sorts of things buried throughout the thousands of buttons.
I found things such as ivory sewing needles, ivory loops, an ivory Chinese puzzle ball, a Ford Model T key, a broken strand of pearls, silver necklaces, skeleton keys, lockets, pins, coins, beads, a fishing bobber, bone dice.. and the list goes on and on. You can check out some of the items I found, in the picture below.
In the weeks of time, following the start of my search and sort efforts, I would uncover many unique finds buried in those buttons, one of which was the Civil War Tintype!
What Is A Tintype?..
A tintype is a photograph. These photographs were made by creating a positive image on a thin sheet of metal. The metal was often coated with a dark enamel or lacquer material used as the backing for the photographic emulsion. They were also referred to as melainotypes or ferrotypes.
What I Know About My Tintype So Far..
I believe this photograph, of two Union soldiers, was taken sometime during the Civil War and during the years of 1863 to 1865. How do I know this much? Well at first I have to be honest, I didn't know if they were Union or Confederate soldiers. I am no expert in the field, so I could not tell by just looking at the uniforms.
Just an interesting observation, while we are on the subject of uniforms.. You may be able to see that whoever developed the photograph and put it all together for the soldiers, added a few painted highlights to the photo. Not sure if you are able to make it out or not in the photo below, but the buttons on their coats and the gold pieces of the hats, were painted over with a gold toned paint.
Upon a closer inspection of the tintype case, I noticed a flag on the very front. The flag didn't appear quite right, so I did what anyone would have done (haha), I counted the stars. I counted 35 stars in total (7 stars across by 5 stars down). I went to Google and did a little research on the 35 star flag.
I learned that on June 1863, a 35th star was added to the United States flag. The star was added after Virginians, who wished to remain part of the Union, created their own state. That state was called West Virginia. The two presidents that served under the 35 star flag were Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
I then read that in 1865, with the admission of Nevada to the United States, another star was added to the flag bringing the total to 36.
Since the Confederate would not have recognized such a flag, I assume that the soldiers in my tintype must be from the Union. (If your reading this and have information otherwise, I would be happy to hear it).
I Would Be Thrilled To Know Who These Gentlemen Where..
But know that would be an impossible task. It saddens me that this piece of history has no names to be put with the faces, nor is it in the hands of their family. It would make me happy to be able to reunite any remaining family with this photograph, but for now I'll just be happy that I discovered it and it did not get thrown away or destroyed.
Against my better judgement, I took the entire frame apart. I was hoping to find a bit of writing that could maybe clue me into who these guys were. I did not find a single shred of evidence. Oh Well, some mysteries are meant to remain just that.. Mysteries.
As pictured above, the tintype case is made of wood wrapped in a thin leather. There is a 35 star, United States flag, on one side and a just some simple pressed designs along the edges in the back.
Most tintype cases, such as this one, no longer are attached at the seem. The tin leather and fabric could not withstand the pressures of time. The case is a bit nicked up, but not in to bad of shape given its age of approximately 158 years.
Although the seem on the one side of the case is broken, the latch on the other side works just as it had over 150 years ago. It's a cute little brass hook that reminds me of a bird neck, head and beak. I know.. I see weird things that don't exist. haha.
The frame is lined with an absolutely beautiful gold painted metal. It could very well be gold plated, but of this I am unsure. When I had it out of the box, I noticed that it was rather thin and very, very delicate. I was careful not to damage it in any way.
For now I put it away for safe keeping
I put the tintype in a drawer of an old secretary my wife and I bought several years ago. Here it will remain out of the harmful sunlight. Sun can do damage to antiques like this, rather quickly, so it's best to pack them away or display them behind UV resistant glass.
Maybe someday in the future, I'll write a little something about those other items I found while searching and sorting through masses of antique buttons. I know that I probably should have left those buttons at the thrift store I found them at, but I am REALLY GLAD I didn't.
What A Neat Little Discovery! (If I do say so myself)
“A story is not like a road to follow … it's more like a house. You go inside and stay there for a while, wandering back and forth and settling where you like and discovering how the room and corridors relate to each other, how the world outside is altered by being viewed from these windows. And you, the visitor, the reader, are altered as well by being in this enclosed space, whether it is ample and easy or full of crooked turns, or sparsely or opulently furnished. You can go back again and again, and the house, the story, always contains more than you saw the last time. It also has a sturdy sense of itself of being built out of its own necessity, not just to shelter or beguile you.”
― Alice Munro, Selected Stories
Thank you for swinging by my blog and checking out the post. Have a great day!
All words, pictures and art pieces are the sole property of B D Miller Gallery, unless otherwise noted and credited, and are not to be reproduced or copied without the prior written consent of B D Miller Gallery.
About Me ~ The Artist
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
If Your Interested In Purchasing Any Of My Work:
They can be found for sale on
Saatchi Art
Or
Etsy
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in HBD, Hive or any other crypto) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).
!discovery 35
Thank you @phage93!! 🥰 thank you for the support and curation. I appreciate both. 😁
Wow very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)
I thought it was too.. No problem. I like sharing weird things.. lol
Wow, that is pretty cool! What a great find! You should go on Antiques Roadshow or something like that. I used to watch that show all the time when I was younger.
It was a great find for sure! I found so many neat little things in that mess, I would have antiques road show going nuts.. hehe. Maybe not, but cool figuring it all out anyhow. I always liked that show too.
It all looked very cool.
Intriguing and exciting Miller story, I loved your analysis and how you describe the ancient items found. I will look forward to the stories of the remaining objects. Have a happy day!
Thanks! Now the pressure is on!! I must get to work on those follow up posts. lol
Have a great day and thank you for the support 😁
hahaha the public cheers! Happy day for you too.
Those are a wonderful and amazing discovery I might say, Those golden pieces of buttons and frames are really nice one. It is true how pictures speaks the story of the past old memories. It is like nostalgic feeling @bdmillergallery .
What you said was very true. The feeling the picture gives is nostalgic but not a period of time I would have wanted to live through. War sucks. Thanks for the support and comment!
Amazing history in a bucket of buttons! It would be nice to know who these two soldiers were, where they cane from, and about their grandchildren too!
Man did I find a bunch of stuff in that bucket. Pretty cool. Enough to probably write several more posts. Not to mention the buttons themselves! It would be nice to know the names and what not, but have no clue how to find out. It may always be a mystery.
I hope that one day some great-grandchildren of those two soldiers would stumble on your post and answer your questions!! 🙀🙀😻😂
That would be cool and amazing. We'll see! 😁
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This is so fascinating! It's like being Indiana Jones and discovering some really cool historic artefacts hahha. I wonder who they were... A mystery
Dear @bdmillergallery
Checking out the item you discover in the boatload , I actually feel like getting one for myself
Yours, Piotr
Hi @crypto.piotr! I know.. It's pretty cool. I've seen a few for sale on Ebay and such. Having a little piece of history is kind of neat. Let me know if you find one and buy it.
Thanks for the support!
Hi @bdmillergallery
I appreciate such a quick reply :)
Truth be told - I don't think my wife would actually agree lol :P
ps.
I would like to take this opportunity and invite you to my recent post (celebrating my 3rd anniversary on hive chain with some special initiative). I would appreciate if you could consider reposting it - so I could reach out wider audience.
Stay safe and have a great weekend,
Yours, Piotr