Stephen A. Douglas CDV with Original Tipped-In Autograph 

Description

Stephen A. Douglas CDV with Original Tipped-In Autograph 

Excellent Civil War-era carte-de-visite of Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), the nationally prominent Illinois senator, Democratic presidential candidate of 1860, and celebrated political rival of Abraham Lincoln. 

The vignette portrait is mounted on its original card bearing the imprint of Case & Getchell, Boston. Of particular significance is the original period ink signature, “S. A. Douglas,” clipped from a separate document and tipped directly onto the face of the mount—creating a desirable combination of an original photograph and genuine autograph. 

As Douglas died on June 3, 1861, before the Case & Getchell partnership was established, the photograph is necessarily a posthumous Civil War-period issue, produced at a time when photographs of the late senator remained in considerable demand. Douglas had famously debated Lincoln during the 1858 Illinois Senate campaign and faced him again as the Northern Democratic candidate for president in 1860. Following Lincoln’s election and the secession crisis, Douglas strongly supported preservation of the Union until his death only weeks after the outbreak of war. 

A scarce and visually impressive, signed Douglas piece, made particularly appealing by the boldly displayed original autograph immediately beneath his portrait and the desirable Civil War-era Boston photographer’s imprint. 

Inventory Number: CDV 619