Engraving of a Lost Photo of Lieutenant Cornelius Van Camp (1850's)

  

Engraving of a lost photo of Lieutenant Cornelius Van Camp who was serving with the 2nd US Cavalry Regiment at the time of his death, c. 1850s. Van Camp was killed at the Battle of the Wichita Village in Indian Territory (today known as Oklahoma) on October 1, 1858. His body was later sent home to be reburied in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in March 1859. The original photo was taken by photographer William L. Gill of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The engraving was published in the April 2, 1859 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

 Source: Internet Archive.

More information: Lancaster Online.

Engraving of a Lost Photo of Governor Jonathan Trumbull's Tomb in Lebanon, Connecticut (1859)

Engraving of a lost photo of Governor Jonathan Trumbull's tomb in Lebanon, Connecticut, 1859. Trumbull had served as governor of Connecticut during most of the American Revolutionary War. The engraving was originally published in the April 30, 1859 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The original photo is attributed to photographer Henry Lord Gay, which might be the same person as the later notable architect. Gay seems to have been living in Connecticut in 1859, but he would have only been around 15 years old when the photo was taken.

Source: Internet Archive.

Henry Lord Gay's Findagrave entry.

Engraving of a Lost Daguerreotype Photo of Empress of Haiti Adélina Lévêque (1850's)

Engraving of a lost daguerreotype portrait of Empress of Haiti Adélina Lévêque, c. 1850s. The daguerreotype was taken by the New York City photography firm Meade brothers. The engraving was originally published in the February 12, 1859 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. There appears to be no known surviving original photos of Lévêque.

Source: Internet Archive.

Early Photo of Buildings in Elmira, New York (1856)

 

"Elmira, N.Y., from Haight's Hotel." Early photo of buildings in Elmira, New York, c. 1856. Taken by photographer Frederick Langenheim and originally published as a stereoscopic photo in an album.

Source: Library of Congress.

Early Photo of a Group of Men Posing With the Bottom Portion of Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts (1859)

 

"Forefathers' Rock, Plymouth, Mass." Photo of a group of men posing with the bottom portion of Plymouth Rock a few years before the first stone memorial was built around it in Plymouth, Massachusetts, c. 1859. Taken by photographer Deloss Barnum. This is probably the earliest surviving photo of any portion of Plymouth Rock.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Early Photo of an Architectural Model of the New US Capitol Dome and the Building's Expanded Wings Designed by Thomas Ustick Walter (1856)

 

Photo of an architectural model of the new US Capitol dome and the building's expanded wings designed by Thomas Ustick Walter, c. 1856. Taken by photographer John Wood and originally published as a stereoview.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Photo of a Group of French Army Zouave Soldiers in Posing In a Camp in Palestro, Italy, During the Second Italian War of Independence (1859)

Photo of a group of French Army Zouave soldiers posing in a camp in Palestro, Italy, during the Second Italian War of Independence, 1859. They were probably involved in fighting in the Battle of Palestro against Austrian troops on May 30-31, 1859. Originally published as a stereoview.

Source: Rijksmuseum.

Hand-Colored Photo of Zombie Crusader Knight Alonzo the Brave Interrupting the Wedding of Imogene and the Baron in a Church Setting (1860)

 

Hand-colored photo of undead Crusader knight Alonzo the Brave interrupting the wedding of Imogene and the Baron in a church setting, c. 1855-1860. A scene from the 1796 ballad Alonzo the Brave and Fair Imogene by Matthew Gregory Lewis. Taken by photographer Alfred Silvester and originally published as a stereoview. Alonzo is described as a skeletal figure in the ballad, but in this stereoview version, he might be better described as probably the earliest photographed depiction of a zombie.

Source: Rijksmuseum.

Daguerreotype View of A Busy Boulevard Des Italiens Decorated For a State Visit by Queen Victoria in Paris, France (1855)

 

 

Daguerreotype view of a busy Boulevard des Italiens decorated for a state visit by Queen Victoria in Paris, France, August 1855. The moving pedestrians and vehicles are for the most part so sharp that this would probably have been deemed to be an "instantaneous" photo by stereocard publishers 4-5 years later. Originally taken as a stereoscopic daguerreotype.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Photo of a Ferry Boat With a Settler Family's Covered Wagon on it Crossing the Big Blue River in Kansas (1859)

Photo of a ferry boat with a settler family's covered wagon on it crossing the Big Blue River in Kansas, 1859. Taken by photographers Charles and Edward Bierstadt while members of the Landers Expedition and originally published as a glass stereoview.

Source: National Gallery of Art.

Early Photo of Parsons West Jersey Hotel in Camden, New Jersey (1850)

 

View of Parsons West Jersey Hotel in Camden, New Jersey, c. 1850. The building was constructed 1849-1850, was eventually renamed the Hotel Ridgway during the early 1900s and seems to have finally been demolished during the 1950s. Taken by the Langenheim brothers and originally published as a salted paper print.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Another early image West Jersey Hotel.

More information.

Early Photo of the Boulder Lodged in Flume Gorge Near Franconia, New Hampshire (1859)

 

Early photo of the boulder lodged in Flume Gorge at the base of Mount Liberty near Franconia, New Hampshire, 1859. Taken by Luther White and originally published as a glass stereoview. The boulder was swept away by a landslide in 1883.

Source: New York Public Library.

Early Photo of the US Treasury Building in Washington DC (1856)

 

View of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., taken at 4:30 PM on October 14, 1856. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of Cottages in Blaise Hamlet in Bristol, England (1850's)

 

View of cottages in Blaise Hamlet in Bristol, England, c. 1858-1861.

Source: Library of Congress.

Photo of a Large House or Mill Possibly Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1850s)

View of a large house or mill possibly along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. An outbuilding is prominently visible at center left.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Engraving of a Lost Mathew Brady Ambrotype Photo of American Arctic Explorer Elisha Kent Kane (1856)

Engraving of a lost Mathew Brady ambrotype of Arctic explorer Elisha Kent Kane, 1856. Published in the August 30, 1856 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The icy decorations along the border of the engraving include two scenes probably based on sketches from the 1853-1855 Second Grinnell Expedition.

Source: Archive.org.

Photo of a Small Wood and Stone Dam Holding Back a Stream on a Hillside Possibly Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1850's)

View of a small wood and stone dam holding back a stream on a hillside possibly along Rock Creek (in the foreground) in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of Peirce Mill and Peirce Barn Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1855)

 

View of Peirce Mill (right) and Peirce Barn (building in background) along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., September 26, 1855. The building between the mill and barn appears to be another barn which is no longer standing today. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of a Group Posing in Front of the Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory in Washington DC (1850s)

 

Portrait of a group posing in front of the Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. What looks like a Jesuit priest wearing a straw top hat is posing at left. This is probably the earliest surviving photo of the observatory. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

View of an Early Wooden Pedestrian Bridge Over the C&O Canal in or Near Washington DC (1850s)

 

View of an early wooden pedestrian bridge over the C&O Canal in or near Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. A person appears to be sitting under the bridge on the towpath at left.

Source: National Museum of American History.