Lot # 3165: Circa 1860s L. Prang & Co. "Prominent Characters" Collection (61) Including Grant, Jackson and Lee

Presented is a very substantial collection of sixty-one (fifty-nine different) circa 1860s L. Prang & Co. "Prominent Characters" cartes de visite (CDVs), highlighted by Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and two different U.S. Grant. Issued by noted lithographer Louis Prang, this set features more than 160 cards of prominent individuals from the time. These blank-backed cards were produced with multiple front variations and thickness ranging from paper-thin to traditional card stock. This series is categorized as W50 "Presidents and Wives" and W51 "Union Army Officers" in the American Card Catalog. Condition (without reference to any hand cuts) ranges from Pr to Vg-Ex (averaging Gd-Vg), with a few slightly better. Dimensions are approximately 2-1/2 x 4 inches, unless noted. This collection consists of the following: 1) Portrait in Oval (10 cards): Beauregard, Butler, Clellan, Cochrane, Davis, Ellsworth, Fremont, Halleck, Hardee, Johnson, Lee, Mrs. Lincoln, Mason (trimmed), and Sigel. 2) Portrait in "Eagle & Flag" Oval (4 cards): Butler, Ellsworth, Fremont, and Sigel. Dimensions: approx. 5-1/4 x 3-1/8 inches. 3) Green Border (10 cards): Two Burnside (one trimmed), Butler, McClellan (trimmed), Fremont, Gen U.S. Grant, Hooker, Jackson, Lyon, and Pope. 4) Black Border (1 card): Lieut. Gen. U.S. Grant. 5) White Background (13 cards): Eight cards are the thickness of heavy paper (including one trimmed) and five cards are paper-thin (all hand cut). Includes the following: Baker, Bragg, Brownlow, Burnside, Cochrane, Corcoran, Lee, McCulloch, two Price, Slidell, Stephens, and Wise. 6) Tan Background (23 cards): All are hand cut. Includes the following: Halleck, Hancock, Heintzelman, Hooker, Hunter, Jameson, Johnson, Kearney, Kelley, Keyes, King, Landers, Lyon, Mansfield, Martindale, McClellan, McClernand, McDowell, Meade, Meagher, Melroy, Mitchell, and Morell. This attractive mixed-grade collection is the largest grouping of this popular nonsports set that we have ever offered. Total: 61 cards.