Help needed to decipher an inscription

[imagine.ink]

I recently purchased this wonderful Civil War tintype at an antiques mall, of all places.  (It wasn't cheap, but I believe I got it for a decent price.)  

The man pictured on the front (of which I'm showing just the face) apparently "wrote" his name on the back of the tin.  I can make out the first name (Samuel?), but no luck at all on the last name.  

Odds are not good that anyone can make it out, but I thought I'd offer it to any eagle-eyed observers in the hope that maybe it will pop out for someone. 

I lightened and enhanced the back as well as I could.  Good luck!

[imagine.ink]

Wow, that is so amazing that the photo on Worthpoint has the exact same photographer's painted backdrop!  

It is obviously the same photographer and the bomb (which is probably a real bomb) is used as a photo prop.  I really wish the seller had identified the photographer or location where the photo was found.  That might help to identify the photographer and, by default, the soldiers could be narrowed down a little bit via battle locations.

I don't subscribe to Worthpoint, but am curious how much this photo sold for.  

[sigmapsidelta]

The confusion over size in earlier posts, eighth and sixth and such. Just struck me that your picture has eight sides. Could that have been what was being referred to?

.

[meershaum]

So, cool - when you sell it "As seen in...".

I, too have an old photo "collection", (in a dusty to-do box) and need to learn. Google sees eighth plate, but the LOC does not.  Plate size is how many can be cut from a full one (from photographer cwfp biz ). Like folded paper translates to book sizes 🙂 LOC list:

Imperial or Mammoth Plate - Larger than 6.5 x 8.5 inches
Whole Plate - 6.5 x 8.5 inches
Half Plate - 4.25 x 5.5 inches
Quarter Plate - 3.25 x 4.25 inches
Sixth Plate - 2.75 x 3.25 inches
Ninth Plate - 2 x 2.5 inches
Sixteenth Plate - 1.5 x 1.75 inches

[imagine.ink]

I don't think I'll sell that one until I'm on my deathbed!  I do have a small collection of my favorite photos.

This month, another one of my images appeared in Military Images magazine.  This one's another keeper ( I actually found this at an antiques mall in St. Louis!):

Sixth-plate tintype by an anonymous photographer. Michele Behan Collection.

Pay Day

On Aug. 16, 1864, Pvt. James A. Mason drew his pay in Confederate dollars at Tupelo, Miss. The 17-year-old Arkansas native, who appears to have been orphaned at an early age and left with family or friends in Madison County, Tenn., wrote his name and particulars of his service on the back of a five-dollar banknote he received that day: “Company K, 19th Tennessee Cavalry, Col. Tyree Harris Bell’s Brigade, Brig. Gen. Abraham Buford’s Division, Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry.”

During the months leading up to Mason’s payday, Forrest’s cavalry participated in the battles of Paducah, Ky., Fort Pillow, Tenn., and Brice’s Crossroads and Tupelo in Mississippi. Mason’s role in these engagements is unclear. He did survive the war, however—a veteran at 18. Mason married in 1871, started a family that grew to include five children, and labored as a farmer and preacher in Henderson County.

In 1901, Mason gifted the Confederate fiver to his daughter, Lida May. Mason died of heart problems in 1917 at a hospital in St. Louis, where his only son lived. Mason was 69. A century later, his image and other relics turned up in a St. Louis antiques mall.

[imagine.ink]

That script above was what was published in Military Images magazine.   

I can add a few details:  In the photo case with the tintype, was a lock of blondish brown hair and a clipped newspaper obituary for Jennie Ann Mason, the 2-year-old daughter of the young man and Confederate veteran, James A. Mason.  So tragic, but it was not uncommon for children to die in childhood in the 19th century.   This was kept in the photo case, under the photo, along with the folded Confederate bill. 

 

[bugler1998]

Michele:  As a st. louis native I am asking if you can share some details that you may or may not know:

What hospital did the confederate soldier die in, in St. Louis?  I guess I never thought to think if confederate veterans received any sort of government benefits in that era.

Also, at what St. Louis antique mall did you purchase the tintype?

The reason I ask is with one exception, most of the antique malls just do not sell high quality collectibles, other than furniture, at any more than $30-50, no matter how good it is.   Maybe I have missed some place?

Mike

[imagine.ink]

Hi Mike, here is a link to the death certificate of James Mason:

https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1917/1917_00003630.PDF

Did you know that Missouri allows public access to death certificates?   It even shows his date of birth as May 18, 1847, so we know he was only newly turned 17 when he left the particulars of his service on the Confederate bill in August of 1864.   He died at St. John's Hospital in St. Louis and his date of death was January 6, 1917.   

Believe it or not, I bought this tintype (with the relics under the photo in the case) at Warson Woods Antique Mall on Manchester Road (close to my brother's house) in the fall of 2017 ... one hundred years from when James Mason passed away!  Obviously, someone had stored this away and then the descendants died and the later descendants had no interest in keeping it.  It was probably purchased by the dealer at an estate sale or auction and then put up for sale at the antiques mall.

Warson Woods  is a more high-end mall with fantastic antiques, many pricey pieces of furniture and Art Deco artwork, etc.  But they also have many showcases of reasonably priced "smalls" and I found this in one of the showcases.

Check it out!   They also have several book dealers there.

[imagine.ink]

When I showed this to Ron Coddington (the publisher of Military Images Magazine) at the Civil War Show in Gettysburg, he said he always tells people that great finds are still out there and this photo proves it!

[imagine.ink]

Warson Woods is actually called Warson Woods Antique Gallery.

On this "virtual tour", you can see one of the book dealers if you angle slightly right. 

 https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6031184,-90.3879827,3a,90y,323.64h,92.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIsSWKzs...

[bugler1998]

Michelle:  sorry for the delayed response.  Yes Warson Woods is probably the highest end antique mall in the area.  As they tend to have a lot of furniture at prices above my  budget, I do not go there often.

you are right about the quality of the showcases.  That is where I head.  A long time friend has a shiwcase where he tends to sell game used bats and other baseball menorabilia.

If you make it to the Creve Coeur area, stop by the Antique Makl of Creve Coeur.  Well over 200 booths.  I have had a goid sized booth there for years, selling books, vintage tools and some sports memorabilia.  Just ask an employee where the booth of Mike the lawyer is.  They all know me.  If the manager is there, tell her to let me know you were there.

While Creve Coeur is not as fancy as Warson Wiods, the workers there are very nice.  Rene the manager has an unbelievable memory and often knows which booths have particular items, and the prices will be lower than you are used to.

Your civil war soldier death certificate was interesting.  He died at St. John hospital, a catholic hosputal.  This would have been the older hospital in the city.  My wife was born there, and all of our children and grandchildren were born at the newer version that is known as the baby factory these days.  The newer one is in Creve Coeur.  I would doubt that St John Hospital orovided military benefits.

There is a signature of Max Starkloff on the death certificate.  I assume he was the medical examiner.  A current hospital is named after him.

thanks forbthe info.