Civil War Era Student Autograph and Photo Album

Northeastern United State, 1862-1863. Hardcover. Good. Original gilt stamped leather binding; 8vo; contains more than 50 photographic portraits (gem-size oval albumen prints and one tintype, each about 1 inch in diameter), many accompanied by charming period sentiments, contributed by numerous hands. Backstrip chipped and partially detached; several pages loose, with staining from the adhesive used to mount the photographs.

A contribution by William Hancock begins, "These photographs will ere long lose their brightness; the Autographs will fade; and become illegible; and the Book which contains them will feel the changes of time, grow old, and vanish away." Not so -- the photographs are in excellent condition overall (just a few scuffed or torn from attempted removal); the autographs are perfectly legible; and though the book certainly shows signs of use and time, it remains a nice record of a time and place -- mostly, Mechanicville Academy. With the photographs and autographs of students from Brainard, Albany, Rochester, Waterford, Williamsville, Amsterdam, New Haven, Saratoga, Stillwater, Brooklyn, Castleton, and more, it offers a peek into New York, Vermont, and Connecticut. Circulated by a woman named Cornelia (a few contributions are addressed to her, but do not reveal a last name), it includes entries by and images of: Mary Porter, Belville Roberts, Elizabeth Roberts, Mary Leland, John Leland, Amelia Adams, John Lawrence, Cornelia Lawrence, Libbie Sears, Emily Smith, Hiram Richardson, Benjamin Baker, and many more.