Antique Daguerreotype Photo Union Civil War Soldier Amputated Left Arm

This antique daguerreotype photograph features a Union Civil War soldier with an amputated left arm, captured in black and white on a 1/6th plate format around the early 1860s. The image is framed in glass, leather, and metal with a good intact seal. The front glass is clear and scratch free.

The hinges are both good, and so is the latch. The case is in wonderful condition showcasing the historical significance of the soldier and the era of the Civil War. This one-of-a-kind piece is a portrait of a soldier with an amputated left arm hidden by a wash process to the original developed photo before placing in a sealed case covered in glass. The prosthetic arm was probably a field hospital issue and the left hand was made from carved wood and doesn't have the same shape and size of his right hand. Reflecting the documentary style of the time period and providing a glimpse into the military history of the United States during that period.

Left arm amputations were a common injury during the American civil war as it started out as Napoleonic warfare and rows of troops were facing each other in close proximity holding their muskets straight out toward the enemy. This is a rare example of a washing technique used to disguise the amputation as most injured soldiers that lost arms during the war merely folded their sleeve behind their back when taking photographs.

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