Rare 1/4 Plate Tintype of Union Sharpshooter with Sharps Rifle

Rare 1/4 Plate Tintype – Full Standing Union Sharpshooter with Sharps Rifle
 
This is a highly desirable 1/4 plate tintype featuring a rare full standing portrait of a Union sharpshooter holding his Sharps rifle. The soldier stands confidently, presenting an excellent view of his sharps rifle and uniform. Most notably, he is armed with a Sharps rifle that appears to show a set trigger next to the trigger guard — a feature strongly associated with rifles issued to Berdan’s Sharpshooters (1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters).
The image has strong clarity and good contrast for a 1/4 plate, with nice detail visible in the rifle, uniform, and the soldier’s accoutrements. Full standing views of specialized Union soldiers such as sharpshooters are exceptionally scarce in this format. The image does have some bends but still displays incredibly strong.
 
Presentation: The tintype is currently housed in a metal frame case. While the frame itself is not original to the period, it displays the image very effectively. The tintype can easily be removed and placed into a proper period case if the buyer desires.
This is a standout image for collectors of Union sharpshooter material, Berdan’s Sharpshooters, or high-quality full standing Civil War soldier photographs. The combination of the full standing pose and the visible set trigger on the Sharps rifle makes this a particularly compelling and rare example.
 
Suggested Listing Title:
Rare 1/4 Plate Tintype – Full Standing Union Sharpshooter with Sharps Rifle & Visible Set Trigger (Possible Berdan Sharpshooter)