CARTE-DE-VISITE PHOTOGRAPH OF ROBERT E. LEE BY GARDNER, BOLDLY SIGNED BY LEE

LEE, Robert E. Carte-de-visite photograph signed. Washington: Alexander Gardner, 1866. Original albumen photograph mounted on card, measuring 2-1/2 by 4 inches. $12,000.

Original Alexander Gardner carte-de-visite photograph of Robert E. Lee, boldly signed by Lee.

The photographer of this carte-de-visite portrait, Alexander Gardner, served as Mathew Brady's chief photographer, introducing the newly developed wet-collodion glass plate negative process at Brady's studio. In 1862, "outraged that Brady once again accepted all the acclaim for photographs he never took, Gardner resigned… Gardner still held many of his original glass plate negatives and his first project was to complete the documentation of the Civil War" (Princeton University). This vintage carte-de-visite with the Gardner portrait of Lee was published by Franklin Philp and Adolphus Solomons, Washington booksellers and publishers of Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War (1865).

Very nearly fine condition.