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AED[CIVIL WAR] The San Francisco Vanguard: 2-CDV Multi-Sitting Archive of George W. Towle, "California Hundred"
![[CIVIL WAR] The San Francisco Vanguard: 2-CDV Multi-Sitting Archive of George W. Towle, "California Hundred"](https://s1.img.bidsquare.com/item/xl/3674/36749027.jpeg?t=1WkFXC)
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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
This 2-piece collection of CDVs is a spectacular, same-soldier variant archive tracking a foundational member of the legendary "California Hundred." The lot includes:
1. George W. Towle (Seated Armed Study): Three-quarter length seated portrait albumen CDV. Boston & Newport, R.I.: Black & Case, [ca. 1863-4]. A superb, high-consequence study of Towle in his tight nine-button cavalry shell jacket, cradling a light cavalry sabre across his lap. He prominently rests his right hand on his forage cap, which displays highly distinct brass insignia clearly reading "CAL 100" above crossed sabres. The reverse carries a prominent Black & Case backmark affixed with a green three-cent Washington proprietary revenue stamp. Modern collector notations track him as "George W. Towle / Co. A / 2nd MA Cav."
2. George W. Towle (Standing Full-Length Variant): Full-length standing studio portrait albumen CDV. Boston: J.W. Black, 173 Washington St., [ca. 1863]. A sharp variant view from the same overarching studio sequence, capturing Towle standing confidently with arms crossed beside a studio balustrade and draped curtain. His model 1860 cavalry sabre hangs vertically at his side, and his forage cap rests on his head, showing the same high-contrast crown insignia. The corners of the mount are slightly clipped. The reverse bears a central J.W. Black backmark and matching collector pencil tracking.
This lot represents a peak material culture document for West Coast Union iconography. George W. Towle was an original pioneer volunteer who answered the call in San Francisco, enlisting on 10 December 1862, into what became Company A of the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry - the famed "California Hundred." Towle rode through the thick of the regiment's brutal guerrilla operations in northern Virginia against Mosby's Rangers and went on to survive hard frontline service through Sheridan's 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign and the final pursuit to Appomattox. Finding a multi-sitting variant sequence of an original California Hundred rider is a major marketplace anomaly; the extraordinary clarity of the "CAL 100" cap badge on the first card makes this a top shelf acquisition for any advanced archive of Civil War photography.
[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]
Condition
Both images are in very good condition with strong contrast and no fading or silvering around the edges. The seated portrait has a clean, square mount, while the standing view has period-clipped corners from being placed in an album.
- Provenance
Rick Carlile collection.
- Shipping Info
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