Quarter plate tintype featuring full standing view of a soldier holding a Hardee hat in his left hand and a British Enfield rifle with bayonet in his right hand. Another rifle can be seen leaning against a chair near the right edge of the plate. Housed in full leather case and accompanied by period inked note that identifies the subject as "Rufus Wiggin / Bangor / Went to Cal. in '49." Rufus Augustine Wiggin (1826-1885) spent the first half of his life in Maine before heading to California. He is listed as a resident of Calaveras and San Francisco between 1860 and 1880, and his occupations included "miner" and "surveyor." However, there is no indication that Rufus served in the Civil War. Research suggests that the subject may be Rufus' brother Edward Wiggin, Jr. (1837-1912) who enlisted on January 1, 1862 at the age of 24 as a 2nd lieutenant and was commissioned into the 6th Maine Light Artillery. He resigned on May 3, 1864. Originally obtained together with a collection of Bangor, Maine photographs identified to the Wiggin Family (see also Lots 25 and 280). Provenance:Marvin Lieber Collection of Early Photographica Condition: Under cover glass but no mat or preserver included. Wear to plate where mat would have been.
Quarter plate tintype featuring full standing view of a soldier holding a Hardee hat in his left hand and a British Enfield rifle with bayonet in his right hand. Another rifle can be seen leaning against a chair near the right edge of the plate. Housed in full leather case and accompanied by period inked note that identifies the subject as "Rufus Wiggin / Bangor / Went to Cal. in '49." Rufus Augustine Wiggin (1826-1885) spent the first half of his life in Maine before heading to California. He is listed as a resident of Calaveras and San Francisco between 1860 and 1880, and his occupations included "miner" and "surveyor." However, there is no indication that Rufus served in the Civil War. Research suggests that the subject may be Rufus' brother Edward Wiggin, Jr. (1837-1912) who enlisted on January 1, 1862 at the age of 24 as a 2nd lieutenant and was commissioned into the 6th Maine Light Artillery. He resigned on May 3, 1864. Originally obtained together with a collection of Bangor, Maine photographs identified to the Wiggin Family (see also Lots 25 and 280). Provenance:Marvin Lieber Collection of Early Photographica Condition: Under cover glass but no mat or preserver included. Wear to plate where mat would have been.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
