When Chesapeake Collectibles returns for its 11th season in January, the biggest moments will include one that features an unprecedented Civil War photo showcased by photography historian, collector, and appraiser Ross Kelbaugh.
The photo, taken in either late 1864 or early 1865, depicts a burial escort group of mostly armed Black soldiers (and a chaplain) who, unlike Black troops in any other known photo, are all identified. The remarkably well-preserved image of the 12 men passed through a chain of ownership in largely forgotten storage for almost all the time since its creation, finally surfacing in recent years in the collectibles marketplace.
Kelbaugh acquired the photo in 2022 and has documented the deep story behind it. He plans to add it at a later date to the collections of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Kelbaugh also has chronicled all his exploration of the photo’s significance in a book that honors the people and events from its origin: “For This We Fight: Saving a National Treasure” (https://a.co/d/jfUZNlj).
Not many people with vintage family or even antique photos will have anything of a comparable nature. But they will, of course, be just as interested in protecting them. And Kelbaugh highlighted a few imperatives about safeguarding such photos:
- First, never use the commonly sold sticky-paged “magnetic” photo albums.
- Second, even with archival storage (such as a “museum box”), control the room’s humidity (Kelbaugh recommends 50 percent humidity).
- Third, anything framed should have an acid-free mat board.
As Chesapeake Collectibles fans wait for the series’ new season, they can revisit the revelations of past years by streaming episodes found on the show’s website at https://www.mpt.org/programs/chesapeakecollectibles/chesapeakecollectibles-past-seasons/.
