1860's string band cdv's - EBay

[markj]

Mercy sakes, you don't see something like this pop up very often!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=370008563606&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=024

As always, I have attached pics for future reference.

Incidentally, according to this Wikipedia entry, Glenwood (formerly Coonsville), Iowa was originally settled by Mormons in the late 1840's. It remained heavily, if not predominately Mormon, until the LDS community removed to "Deseret" in 1852.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenwood,_Iowa

Yours, &c.,

Mark Jaeger

[Old Cremona]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

Can we be sure, all you clothing experts, that this is pre-1865?

The picture is none too clear, but that sure is an odd-looking banjo. Not that odd-looking banjo's didn't abound in the ante-bellum years, but I've yet to see one tensioned quite like that one seems to be. It does have the "scoop" at the base of the neck, a common early banjo design.

In the less clear picture, one of the fiddlers seems to be playing a horn. You see that in drawings of minstrel bands (winds and strings), but not often in photographs. I guess we can't even be sure this is a minstrel band.

I look forward to hearing what the experts like George have to say about this.

[markj]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

What really makes me sick is that these images sold for only $33.00. Hell, I would have bid for them if I'd known they were going to sell for that cheap. The clothing and "dippity-do" hair (and facial hair) styles of the musicians clearly establish the cdv's are of 1860's vintage.

Given that Glenwood, Iowa was the seat of Mills County, it's a pretty sure bet at least one newspaper was published there. If so, and if there any surviving war-dated numbers, the gallery of "C. H. Reno" is likely advertised in its pages, which, in turn, should provide a rough dating of the images.

Yours, &c.,

Mark Jaeger

[Danny]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

Mark -

Another great visual resource for we pretenders of the period.

It does have the appearance of an Antebellum/CW period group, not quite a pro or amateur Minstrel group but period musicians nonetheless.

Many direct-image photos of the types common before and during the CW would of course be flopped (mirror-image) in orientation, where the banjo 5th peg and the guitar and fiddle heavy strings would show as if they were on the lower edge of the fretboard rather than the upper edge.

I bring that up only because this photo was either not a direct-image or was copied once to flop it into correct orientation, perhaps a clue as to when it was taken.

Clothing and banjo construction experts may help here, though in both cases pre-war style clothes or instruments might yet have been worn for a post-CW photo.

Whoops. Too much speculation. Thanks for posting the photo.

- Dan Wykes

[FDTaylor]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

I took a quick perusal of the census records to see what might turn up so that we could narrow down when this image was made.

I couldn't find him in the 1860 census in Iowa.

But, the 1870 Census, Glenwood Township, Mills County, Iowa shows the following:

Charles Reno, age 28, born in Virginia. Occupation is listed as a "daguerrean artist."

In digging a little deeper, in 1880 "Chas. Reno," age 39, born in Virginia, is a boarder in Johnson County, Nebraska. Occupation is "Photographer."

So, at the very least, we can tie him to Glenwood, Iowa, by 1870.

Hope this helps add a little to the images.

[markj]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

I took a quick perusal of the census records to see what might turn up so that we could narrow down when this image was made.

I couldn't find him in the 1860 census in Iowa.

But, the 1870 Census, Glenwood Township, Mills County, Iowa shows the following:

Charles Reno, age 28, born in Virginia. Occupation is listed as a "daguerrean artist."

In digging a little deeper, in 1880 "Chas. Reno," age 39, born in Virginia, is a boarder in Johnson County, Nebraska. Occupation is "Photographer."

So, at the very least, we can tie him to Glenwood, Iowa, by 1870.

Hope this helps add a little to the images.

Thanks for the very interesting information. I'm guessing the 1860 census was conducted in June or July. If so, that means Reno took up residence in Glenwood sometime after June 1860, but before June 1870 (i.e., when the next census was presumably held). Split the difference and that provides an approximate photo dating of 1865. The lack of revenue stamps on the images tends to further narrow down the dating to before 1 August 1864 or after 1 August 1866 (although this is not always a given).

Furthermore, the notation that Reno was from "Virginia" raises the intriguing notion that he may have served in the war. There is no "Charles Reno" listed as having served in a Virginia unit, but, interestingly, a W. H. C. Reno did enlist as a Private in Company B, 24th (Scott's) Virginia Battalion Partisan Rangers. One "C. Reno" also mustered as a Private in Company D, 23rd Alabama Infantry.

Conversely, there were at least six individuals named "Charles Reno" who served in Vermont, New York, or Massachusetts units. Specifically, one "Charles H. Reno" enlisted as a Private in Company I, 148th New York Volunteer Infantry.

None of the above proves anything, but the fact that C. H. Reno was definitely of military age (born c.1842) and had Southern origins raises all kinds of interesting possibilities.

Thanks again,

Mark Jaeger

[Danny]

Re: 1860's string band cdv's - EBay

The two bands have some of the same players and instruments, but not all. See attached enhancements and note that there is no guitar player in the less clear picture but at the same time a bones (?) player has been added. The viola player does not appear to be the same person. The backdrop appears to be the same in both.

This raises the possibility that these were not a formal band, just buddies posing for a group shot, holding instruments available in the photo studio and trying different combinations, and scrawling a name for themselves to mark the photo.

Again all speculation. We wouldn't pan for the camera that way today would we?

- Dan Wykes