A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
Season 1, Episode 9, is focused on backdrops, one of the great clues to help trace the photographers who used them—and, with a little grit, determination, and luck, maybe identifying the unknown face looking back at you. But where did photographers get those backdrops? We’ll shed some light on this question.
New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole premier every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, April 19, at 9 p.m. ET.
Season 1, Episode 8, is focused on a soldier who served in the storied 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, an Iron Brigade regiment that made its name at Gettysburg and other major Civil War battles. The 2nd paid a high price in casualties, including Sgt. Theodore Dosch Bahn of Company H. A look inside his pension file provides details about his military service—and reveals the value of these unique documents as a research tool.
New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole will be released every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, April 5, at 9 p.m. ET.
Season 1, Episode 7, provides answers to a deceptively simple question: Ever wondered why and how Americans of the 1860s posed for portraits? In this episode, we review instructions by traveling photographer B. Bradley to his patrons to help them make the most of their visit, and guidelines suggested by master daguerreian pioneer Marcus Aurelius Root in his 1864 photographer’s handbook, The Camera, and The Pencil.
New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole will be released every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, March 9, at 9 p.m. ET.
Season 1, Episode 5, examines a persistent story about Civil War photographers who, long after the end of hostilities, sold glass plate negatives of battlefields, famous generals and Abraham Lincoln as scrap glass later used in greenhouses. They gradually faded away—ironically destroyed by the very sunlight responsible for image creation. The story has been told by many, including Ken Burns. Did photographer’s really sell their negatives?
New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole will be released every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.
New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole will be released every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.
Museum-quality prints of 22 Images of African American Civil War soldiers pictured in a gallery published in last summer’s issue of MI and elsewhere were displayed in our first-ever traveling exhibit. The first stop for this unique group was the last stop for slaves fleeing to freedom along the Underground Railroad to Canada—the Hubbard House in Ashtabula, Ohio. Located along Lake Erie is northeast Ohio, the town marked the opening of the exhibit with a two-day event last weekend. Music, dramatic readings, a visit from Buffalo Soldiers bikers, and of course the portraits, each with a caption that tells the soldier’s story. Many thanks to all the collectors who shared their images for this event. They include Kevin Canberg, Greg French, Chuck Joyce, Paul Loane, Steve Meadow and Paul Russinoff.
Special thanks to Lisa Burroughs, who played a leading role in conceiving and organizing the event, the staff and volunteers of the Hubbard House, and the city of Ashtabula for turning out to see these powerful photographs that are such an important part of our nation’s story.
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Civil War Faces and Military
Images magazine are delighted to announce our first-ever Civil War Faces
Show & Sale. Join us March 8-10 in Arlington, Va., for several exciting
events:
Exclusive tour of the Library of Congress
Friday, March 8, 2:30 p.m. (meet in the lobby at 2:15 for security check) James Madison Building Prints & Photographs Reading Room 337 Washington, D.C. Event is free, but you must pre-register with Doug York, Civil War Faces (757) 610-1898 or civilwarfaces@gmail.com
Micah Messenheimer, Associate Curator of Photography of the
Prints and Photographs Division will lead a back stage tour of selected images
from the Civil War collections. After the tour, we’ll meet up for dinner at a
local restaurant. The tour is limited to 15 guests. Please contact Doug York to
join the list: civilwarfaces@gmail.com
Civil War Photo Talks
Saturday, March 9, 6-9 p.m. Club Room Holiday Inn Rosslyn 1900 Fort Myer Dr., Arlington, Va. Event is free. No registration required.
Join us for five presentations focused on showcasing,
interpreting and preserving images. Snacks provided.
Civil War-Era Photographs: Highlights from the National Portrait Gallery Ann Shumard, Senior Curator of Photographs
In 1976, the National Portrait
Gallery formally launched its Department of Photographs. Since that time, each
successive curator has worked diligently to build the museum’s collection of
portrait photography—including works documenting the key figures of the Civil
War era. This illustrated talk will feature highlights from this collecting
effort, which very much remains a “work in progress.”
Picturing the Civil War: Collecting at the Library of Congress Micah Messenheimer, Associate Curator of Photography
The Prints & Photographs
Division of the Library of Congress holds one of the country’s foremost
collections of Civil War photography. These treasures comprise not just the
studio archives of Mathew Brady’s firm, but continued acquisitions like the Liljenquist
collection of cased photographs and cartes-de-visite of everyday men and women,
the Gladstone collection of portraiture documenting the social and military
history of African-Americans, the Stanford collection of stereographs, major
albums of the war, and work by contemporary photographers commenting on the
conflict’s continued resonance in America. This talk will examine the varied
ways in which these collections have been developed, preserved, and used
throughout their history.
Civil War Photo Sleuthing: Past, Present, and Future Dr. Kurt Luther, CivilWarPhotoSleuth.com
People have struggled to identify
unknown soldiers and sailors in Civil War photos since even before the war
ended. In this talk, I trace the 150-year history of photo sleuthing, showing
how the passage of time has magnified some challenges, but also unlocked
exciting new possibilities. I show how technologies like social media, face
recognition, and digital archives allow us to solve photo mysteries that have
eluded families and researchers for a century and a half.
The Civil War Photos of the National Archives Bryan Cheeseboro, National Archives staff
Bryan shares stories about rare
events in the hallowed halls of the repository of Civil War records: Finding
original Civil War photographs in pension files.
Through a Collector’s Eye Rick Brown, Senior Editor, Military Images
Rick reviews a selection of images
from his collection with an eye to art appreciation, research concepts and
social issues.
Civil War Faces Show & Sale
Sunday, March 10 Dogwood Room Holiday Inn Rosslyn 1900 Fort Myer Dr., Arlington, Va. Show hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. General admission: $7 (Students with ID free). Early-bird admission (8:30 a.m.): $25
Pleased to announce that Military Images is expanding its list of Senior Editors to include two outstanding members of the collecting community: Rich Jahn and Kevin Canberg. Both have been wonderful supporters of our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve Civil War soldier and sailor photographs. Please join me in congratulating them.
Rich Jahn is a longtime collector of Civil War portrait photography. An army veteran and Rutgers University graduate, he got his start during the Civil War centennial and later focused on Union and Confederate buckles before embracing ambrotypes and tintypes. A model citizen in the collecting community, Rich is well known to many in the hobby from his appearances at Civil War shows. Rich’s images have been featured in the Time Life Civil War series and in numerous issues of MI, including Volume 1, Number 1, and a gallery of representatives images in the Autumn 2017 issue. He has also served for many years as treasurer of his local Civil War Round Table. The father of two grown children, Rich is retired from 3M and lives with his wife Dianne in Paramus, N.J.
Kevin Canberg, an avid collector of American historic photography, has been both researching and writing about early photography’s role during the Civil War era since his time as a journalism student at Loyola University Maryland. Images from his collection have been featured in numerous books and magazines, and he has placed historic photographs in major public collections and museums, including the Library of Congress. Kevin is a regular contributor of both photographs and articles to MI, including a featured gallery in the Fall 2018 issue. His Civil War-focused writing has also been published in periodicals including the Baltimore Sun. Kevin earned his JD from Pace University School of Law and makes his living as a legal risk management executive for a large financial services company. He shares a passion for early American images, art, and artifacts with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Darcy.
Last autumn, Military Images marked the centennial of World War I with a unique collection of images of Civil War veterans posed with Doughboys. In honor of their service, and as an ongoing part of our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve these old photos, we’re making this 11-page gallery available to you for free!
