Description:

Clemens Samuel

Samuel Clemens / Mark Twain Early Rare Photo w/ Exquisite Back Stamp

 

A carte de visite of American humorist Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910), aka Mark Twain, produced by the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, ca. 1870s. A few isolated stains, else near fine. 2.5" x 1.25". Accompanied by its original transmittal envelope postmarked from Hartford, Connecticut.

 

The sepia-colored carte de visite shows Twain in a 3/4 pose. He is wearing a bow tie, suit, and cape, and his auburn colored hair has not yet famously whitened. The back of the card is emblazoned with an advertisement from the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company. The prize-winning firm touted that they were the official "Photographers to H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, and to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh", and the "Sole Photographers to the International Exhibition 1862." The ad prominently features three ostrich plumes encircled by a coronet, the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales, at that time the future Edward VII!

 

The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, active 1854-1922, specialized in producing stereoscopic photographs. Its prolific output included portraits like this one, but also photographs of places and events. Sitters included authors, activists, scientists, politicians, and other celebrities of the day.

 

The envelope was postmarked from Hartford, Connecticut on December 13, 1894. Bearing a cancelled 2 cent carmine stamp. Partly ripped and with mounting traces verso. Twain actively resided in Hartford, Connecticut between 1871-1891. After 1874, he and his young family lived in a stately 25-room mansion whose façade brickwork was inspired by steamboat design Twain might have seen on the Mississippi. The Mark Twain House and Museum was restored and is open to visitors today.

 

Mark Twain began his fifty-year-long writing career as a Western journalist, later producing many well-beloved novels, short stories, travel accounts, and essays. Twain followed up the popular and critical acclaim of Tom Sawyer (1876) with other adventure and fantasy tales, including The Prince and the Pauper (1881), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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