Half Plate Confederate Ambrotype

The image shown here is a Half Plate Ambrotype of a Virginia Officer. The subject wears the uniform of a Confederate 2nd Lieutenant, without branch of service colors.  His cap, sleeves and collar all have the braid of a 2nd Lieutenant.  A dark stripe runs down his trouser leg.   The buttons, braid, sword and mounts are gilt, so is the sword belt’s plate, but enough of the belt plate was left exposed to see the upper torso of Virtus of the Virginia State Seal.  The plate’s border is also visible, and from that I can tell that it is the stamped Virginia Belt plate made the Virginia Armory using the Horstmann dies, or less likely, but possibly a James Smith version.  I would have to be able to see the ribbon on the lower portion of the seal to determine which, but I cannot.

Across his lap lays a Boyle, Gamble & MacFee foot officer’s sword in its scabbard.  This may explain his Virginia Armory belt plate, because Boyle, Gamble & Macfee sold swords to the Confederate Government, and swords came with sword belts, and the Confederate Government owned the Virginia Armory, where this plate was almost certainly made.

The back of the image has been repainted and it is housed in a full “George Washington” gutta-percha/thermoplastic case that is near perfection. It would be perfect but for one tiny nib.