[Williamstown, Massachusetts]: no publisher listed, [1857]. 4to., approximately 150 unnumbered leaves, of which there are two mezzotint engravings, a group salt print photograph (7 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches) and fifty-four oval salt prints portrait photographs (approx. 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches), the majority of which are signed by the sitter, and one larger portrait salt print. On a preceding leaf, the sitter would provide a brief biography and often, a sentiment; all photographs and biographies are recto only. Originally bound in a poor quality sheep, this copy lacks the outer binding and begins and ends with the original marbled endpapers; a fragment of the original spine is laid in. The salt prints are clear and sharply focused, and bear a wide tonal range. There is mild foxing to the margins, primarily on the first and last few leaves, and an occasional small stain. Due to the warping of the mounts, which is often the case with mounted photographs of this period, there is some dust soling to the blank margins. A very good copy. Item #54309

Of note, the group portrait of fifteen students and their professor, Dr. Paul A. Chadbourne, clad in field gear, with several carrying rifles, was made while on an expedition to Georgia and the western coast of Florida, between February and April of 1857, the purpose of which was to study the natural history and make collections for the Williams College Lyceum. Although this group photograph and preceding portrait are not captioned, this information was found through the Williams College archives.

The following were among the class of 1857: Henry Mills Alden, Henry Clay Allen, Rufus Apthorp, Merritt Barber, Nathaniel Barrett, Frederick Beecher, Lyman Beecher, George Blodget, Lysander T. Burbank, Israel Carlton, S. H. Calhoun, Valentine Burt Chamberlain, Benton W. Cole, James Deane, Samuel Edward Elmore, George M. Fay, Bently Foster, George Dickenson Goodrich, James Guthrie, Fred. S. Haight, James M. Hawley, William Greenough Harding, Henry Richard Horsinton (born in Ceylon), Elias Cornelius Hooker, Alexander Hutchins, E. Isham, David Johnson, Edward P. Kimball, Irving Magee, Gilbert Burrings Manley, Robert Emmet McMath, F. Le Baron Monroe, Robert Murray, Jr., Daniel Nathan, Jr., Andrew Parsons, Charles M. Pierce, John Prentice, Edwin Renbush, Samuel Scudder, Nelson B. Sherwin, M. A. Smith, William Tatlock, James E. Trimble, Alexander Walker, James R. Whiting, Jr., Edwin M. Wright, and Samuel Wood.

The photographer is not identified; however, the portrait Samuel E. Elmore, which has a slightly different stock and tonality than the majority of the others, has the blind stamp of N. A. Moore along the left side of the photograph.

Price: $2,650.00