SOLD! for $20,460.00.
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Selling with Case- Low Estimate: $10,000.00
- High Estimate: $12,000.00
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Important Naval Photographic Archive CDV Album of Lieutenant Dabney Scales of the CSS Shenandoah including images of uniformed and non-uniformed Confederate Naval officers from the CSS Shenandoah, CSS Florida, and the CSS Alabama, a 1/4 plate ambrotype of Dabney Scales in uniform, and extracts from the log of the CSS Shenandoah from August 2-5, 1865 detailing the encounter with the British ship, Barracouta, and learning of the overthrow of the Confederate government. Note – the Confederate ship, CSS Shenandoah, fired the last shot of the Civil War and marked the final surrender of Confederate forces on November 6, 1865. Given the orders to destroy the New England whaling fleet, the partially crewed Confederate ship circumnavigated the earth, capturing 38 vessels and taking over 1000 prisoners between 1864-65. Twenty-five ships were captured after the Confederacy had collapsed. 1st grouping – CDV album of Dabney Scales dated July 15, 1863 Paris, France on inside cover and a second, smaller CDV album marked Havana June 1, 1863. Interior contains several CDVs of fellow Confederate Naval officers, women acquaintances, and European subject matter including works of art and famous Europeans. A couple of notable women with signed CDVs to Scales include Rosa Bonheur (realist painter, sculptor) and Lillie W. Hitchcock (Coit). Of the approximately 25 identified Confederate naval Officers, 15 are in uniform. An additional eight CDVs of males in formal attire are likely Confederate Naval officers but have yet to be identified. Identified Naval officers of the CSS Shenandoah include Lieutenant Dabney Scales (signed), William Breedlove Smith, Paymaster (signed), Dr. Fred McNulty, ship assistant surgeon (signed), Lt. John Grimball, Lt. William C. Whittle (signed Jack), William Breedlove Smith (w/out uniform), Edwin G. Booth (assistant surgeon?), Midshipman John T. Mason, and Chief Engineer Matthew O’Brien. Joe Scales (Confederate Army), Dabney”s brother, is also pictured and signed en verso. Three formally attired gentleman with Liverpool marked CDVs are likely Shenandoah crew members. Uniformed Confederate Naval officers of the CSS Florida include Lt. Sardine G. Stone (signed), a CDV of the CSS Florida with small images of each crew member surrounding the Florida ship image (each officer identified), Lt. Midshipman R.S. Floyd, Lt. George Dwight Bryan (became mayor of Charleston after war), Lt. Sardine G. Stone pictured with another male, and Lt. James Lingard Hoole pictured with another male, CDV of non-uniformed male (possibly T.T. Hunter). Uniformed Confederate Naval officers of the CSS Alabama include Lt. Joseph D. “Fighting Joe” Wilson, Midshipman E. R. Anderson, Lt. Richard F. Armstrong, and Midshipman Eugene Anderson Maffit, and possibly Surgeon Galt. Other CDV s Confederate officers in the smaller album lot include P. T. Beauregard with an Augusta, GA label, an unidentified officer with a Louisville, KY label, and a CDV of Confederate General Joe Johnson. 2nd grouping – Extracts from the “Log of the C.S.S. Shenandoah on a cruise Aug 2-3-4 1865 with course headings, latitude and longitude for each day. August 2, 1865 reads, “Got Steam and stood in chase. Took in all sail except the head sails. At 4:15 came up with chase stopped the engine & sent a boat along side the English barque “Baracuta from San Francisco bound to Liverpool. 13 days out ——– Having received by the barque Barracouta the sad intelligence of the overthrow of the Confederate Government. All attempts to destroy the shipping on property of the Northern States will cease from this date. In accordance with which the First Lieutentant W. C. Whittle Jr. received the order from the Commander to strike below the battery and disarm the ship & crew.” 3rd item – 1/4 plate size ambrotype of Confederate Dabney Scales in an early Naval uniform. Hand tinted buttons and lapel highlighted in gold. Littlefield, Parsons & Co. case patented 1856 & 1857 with a beehive and farm implements pattern on front and back. Provenance: Direct descendant of Lt. Dabney Scales. CONDITION: 1st grouping – larger album with spine and covers loose with losses. CDVs overall very good condition with a couple showing more foxing near the back of the larger album, some CDVs with edges trimmed. 2nd item – extract pages in overall very good condition with pages very legible. 3rd item – ambrotype image with scattered losses to the face area.