Civil War Emancipated Slave Children Antique CDV Photo Tax Stamp 1864
Item History & Price
CIVIL WAR - EMANCIPATED SLAVE CHILDRENANTIQUE CDV PHOTOGRAPHEmancipated slave children of New Orleans, original, nineteenth century carte-de-visite (CDV) photograph produced by Charles Paxson of New York, 1864.The children portrayed in this photo were "Charley, Rebecca and Rosa, " posed with an older freed slave named Wilson Chinn. Chinn is seated in a chair holding book with Charles Taylor standing to his right and Rebecca Huger and Rosa Downs, seated, reading books; additio...nal title beneath photograph: "Learning Is Wealth." Notice on the reverse reads: "The nett proceeds from the sale of these Photographs will be devoted exclusively to the education of colored people in the Department of the Gulf, now under the command of Maj. Gen. Banks."Photographs such as this were sold to raise money for the education of freed slaves in New Orleans. The photo is notable as it shows the issue of slavery was not merely an issue of color. If a child's mother was a slave, then he or she was as well, as is the case in the photo. It was thought that using children of fairer complexions in the photos would raise more money.The photograph measures approximately 2.5 x 4 inches in size and is in excellent condition.Photographer: Charles Paxon, New YorkCivil War Tax Stamp on verso. Among the more notable instances of tax stamp usage occurred in the photography trade. As the Civil War progressed, the demand for photographs of family members, soldiers going off to war and returning war heroes increased dramatically, but not without the notice from the Federal government who saw the advent as an opportunity to raise much needed revenue for the war. On August 1, 1864 the Internal Revenue department passed a 'photograph tax' requiring photographers to pay a tax on the sale of their photographs. By 1864 there were no 'photography tax' stamps issued, so other stamps were substituted, typically, the proprietary or playing card revenue stamps was used, usually affixed to the back of the photograph. Already burdened with high overhead costs and scarcity of materials because of the war, large photograph companies organized and petitioned Congress, complaining that they were shouldering too much of the tax burden placed on the public. After exactly two years their constant efforts resulted in the tax being repealed on August 1, 1866.
