---

You certainly don't see this every day. Here we have a 1/6 plate Melanotype of a soldier standing with his arms crossed for the photographer. He wears a belt and US
belt plate. He also wears a forage cap and a dark, pleated shirt that is common to many South Carolina soldiers. Note that the image comes with a double diamond mat that
seems to show up on a lot of southern images. The image has "Melanotype for Neff's Pat." stamped onto the bottom of the plate. Here is where it gets interesting. There is a
second image of the soldier as a child wearing what appears to be a military or cadet uniform highlighted by brass buttons and a stripe down the pant leg. The image has been trimmed.
I think it started as a 1/6 plate tintype, but is now trimmed to somewhere between a 1/9 plate and a 1/6 plate. There is a note that reads Grand father Hunt as a young Lieutenant in the
Civil War and earlier as a little boy." There is a William P. Hunt that started in the 4th SC Cav Bttn and later served in the 2nd SC Cav. This is largely conjecture on my part, but maybe
with some research someone could make the connection to a military school and then later service as an officer. I found a similar early Cidadel uniform online, but there was no white collar
turned down on the uniform nor a stripe down the pant leg in the image I found online. The pair of images come in a 1/6 double gutta case Berg's #3-97. The case is in great shape with an intact
clasp, solid hinges and Very minor nicks on the corners#5212=$825.00