Antique Imperial German Navy Sailors Photo SMS...

Updated September 26, 2026

This auction ended on September 29, 2026. See upcoming auctions from Period Americana or current antiques & furniture auctions.
Lot number57
Estimate30.00 - 60.00 USD
CategoryAntiques & Furniture
AuctionSale 260929
DateSeptember 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT
Auction housePeriod Americana
LocationBoston, Massachusetts

Kaiser Cabinet Card Mount. Taken circa 1880s–1890s by an unattributed commercial studio photographer, this original late 19th-century cabinet-style photograph measures approximately 6.5 by 4.25 inches and features a group portrait of seven Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) sailors posing in full white uniforms with neck kerchiefs and cap tallies reading "S.M.S. Kaiser" against a painted tropical backdrop. Rendered as a sepia silver gelatin or albumen print on heavy cardstock board, this pre-WWI naval militaria photograph serves as an exceptional piece of maritime history with strong appeal for German military historians and 19th-century photography collectors. The photograph presents in good overall antique condition, maintaining strong contrast, warm sepia tones, and crisp subject details across the sailors and backdrop, while displaying minor, age-appropriate wear including light overall paper toning, faint surface handling specks, and minor edge rubbing along the dark perimeter border, free from major tears or structural damage.

Antique Imperial German Navy Sailors Photo SMS...

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