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AED[ARMS & ARMOR] Pair of Images of Civilians with Rare Firearms
![[ARMS & ARMOR] Pair of Images of Civilians with Rare Firearms](https://s1.img.bidsquare.com/item/xl/3693/36936321.jpeg?t=1WnYhi)
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About Auction
LiveJun 20, 2026
This sale features an extensive catalog of Civil War photographs that were acquired, curated, and researched by seminal collector, Rick Carlile. Fleischer's Auctions info@fleischersauctions.com
View Full Catalog (239)
- Lot Description
A compelling pair of Civil War-era CDVs featuring civilian-clad men posing with rare longarms. This grouping highlights the phenomenon of the armed citizen and the transition from civilian life to military service. One card features a Cincinnati, Ohio backmark and a 3-cent revenue stamp, while the other remains unmarked.
The lot includes:
1. Subject with Sharps Rifle: This gentleman in a formal top hat and overcoat cradles a Sharps Breech-Loading Rifle. Famous for its accuracy and use by Berdan’s Sharpshooters, the Sharps allowed for a far higher rate of fire than the standard-issue muzzleloaders carried by the bulk of the Union army.
2. Subject with Spencer Carbine: This man in a civilian sack coat and forage cap rests his hand on the barrel end of a seven-shot Spencer Repeating Carbine. The weapon was a state-of-the-art repeater, fed by a tubular magazine in the buttstock. Its appearance in a civilian portrait suggests a member of a high-priority local defense unit or a person of means who procured the best technology available.
These images are excellent examples of the "martial civilian" genre. The subject on the left was photographed by Walter & Heuck’s Gallery in Cincinnati, a major logistical hub city for the Union. The contrast between their formal attire and the heavy, specialized weaponry they carry creates a striking visual narrative of a society mobilizing for war with the most advanced tools at its disposal.
Images that feature Sharps rifles and Spencer carbines are among the most desirable genre of 19th century photography. This is a rare opportunity to acquire multiples.
[Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards, Stereographs] [Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Guns, Firearms, Revolvers, Rifles, Longarms, Handguns, Arms & Armor]
Condition
Strong tonal depth and clarity. The Cincinnati specimen features a beautifully preserved 3-cent "Telegraph" revenue stamp and a bold gallery backmark. Mounts show typical age-related edge wear. A premier pair for the specialist in Civil War arms.
- Provenance
Rick Carlile collection.
- Shipping Info
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All packages valued at over $250 are shipped with a signature required upon delivery. All packages handled and shipped in-house by Fleischer's Auctions are not insured unless insurance is requested. Successful bidders who would like their packages insured are responsible for notifying us that this is the case and are responsible for paying the cost of insurance.
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