Veteran with Waterloo Medal from Hannover

[BlackcowboyBS]

Gentlemen,

I have purchased this old photo for my upcoming book on the orders and medals of the kingdom of Hannover, it seems that the Gentleman shown here wears the hannoverian waterloo medal. I guess you can see it much better at the cutout, a silver medal with a head looking to the heraldic left side, a huge iron ring for the ribbon and the shroud does looks like iron too. The ribbon has a darker strip on the heraldic  left and probably on the right side too. So I guess it would fit in.

The interesting part - besides the medal - is that the photo was taken at a photographer, who had his business in New Jersey, Jersey City, 99 Montgomery Street. So our Gentleman here was probably an immegrant who made it to the US. His photo is back to Germany now, this is a nice proof of the circle of history. 

Gentlemen I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments on this.

 

PS: funny thing is, that the Photographer seems to be an immegrant from France, his name was Jh. A. Guiremand

Edited November 10, 2020 by BlackcowboyBS
PS added

[paul wood]

lovely  shame no name on the photo beautifully clear picture of the suspension.

paul

[Djedj]

Bonjour Cowboy,

Below my impression, as a photo collector, of the scans you're showing. It is a bit chancy to take conclusions without seeing the physical material piece, but here I'll take my chances.

Interesting to note, the cardboard backing of the CDV appears to be quite thick - as was typical of CDVs of a "later" era than when a Veteran would have been photographed (1880s-1890s).

Craton used in the 1860s was generally very thin.

It may be an optical effect of your scan - but this is corroborrated by the photographer - noted as active c.1881 in New Jersey :

http://gary.saretzky.com/photohistory/njphotographers.html

The sitter appearing to be in his 70s, there is something at first a bit puzzling, as the dates don't seem to add up.

However, it is also my impression that the photo is a period contretype of an earlier CDV (photo of a photo).

Basically a reproduction of an earlier photo, generally for family purposes.

Impression stemming from a certain blurry quality of the photo, but mostly the lower right corner, showing sign of the delimitation of the previous print :

Which would mean that the photo was reproduced in New Jersey c.1881.

It does not mean that the original was not photographed in the US - in fact we would never know.

The fact that this would be a second printing would actually be a good sign for the Medal to be indeed the Hannoverian Waterloo i.m.h.o.

Very nice find !

Bien cordialement,

Jérôme

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Djedj

[BlackcowboyBS]

Bonjour Jérôme,

mercie beaucoup for your information, quite intersting what you are writting. Yes the CDV was quiete thick, about 1 mm. Very intersing is your link, quite impressive what you can find in the internet nowadays. 

Yes a veteran of 1815 would be at least 81 / 82 years old in 1881, when the photographer opened his shop in Jersey City. So I guess your conclusion that this is a photo of a photo seems to be correct. I can live with this, as I am not collecting photos but just buying them to get photos for my upcoming book. 

[ArHo]

Hi a very nice picture but - please do not get me wrong - I have to ask: is it really a Waterloo medal? The head seems very large to me and the medal quite small in relation to the ring, when compared to Hannover Waterloo medals. May it not be possible that he is wearing a Wilhelmsmedaille? 

[BlackcowboyBS]

Hi ArHo,

of course there is allways room for doubts, I will check again, but to me it pretty much looks like the waterloo medal. But I see what you mean if I compare the photo to the one of Georg Heinrich Hoffmann

Edited December 29, 2020 by BlackcowboyBS

[Ulsterman]

That is a Hanovarian Waterloo...look at the ring. fantastic image.

[ArHo]

After much consideration I still and finally opt for a Wilhelmsmedaille, every aspect fits here, including the ribbon - but it is simply too small for a Hanoverian Waterloo medal.