Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.

6441 search results

circa 1800s

Unknown

Photograph

Title: [Cyanotype of Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico]

One cyanotype of Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico. Image displays adobe dwellings in the middle of construction. Backside of document includes Pure Linen watermark.

GLC09680

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Title: [Cyanotype of Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico]

Date: circa 1800s

Photograph

Title: [Cased tintype depicting young African American woman reading]

Cased tintype depicting young African American woman reading, 19th century.

GLC09714

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Title: [Cased tintype depicting young African American woman reading]

Date:

Photograph

Title: [Photograph of Rev. Ralph Abernathy shortly before his arrest, April 1971]

Photograph of Rev. Ralph Abernathy shortly before his arrest, April 1971.

GLC09719

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Title: [Photograph of Rev. Ralph Abernathy shortly before his arrest, April 1971]

Date:

Photograph

Title: [Two Martin Luther King, Jr. press photos]

Two Martin Luther King, Jr. press photos.

GLC09722

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Title: [Two Martin Luther King, Jr. press photos]

Date:

Photograph

Title: [Photograph of the East Arlington Volunteer Fire Company]

Photograph of the East Arlington Volunteer Fire Company.

GLC09725

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Title: [Photograph of the East Arlington Volunteer Fire Company]

Date:

Photograph

Title: [Photograph of Dr. King at Howard University]

Photograph of Dr. King at Howard University.

GLC09738

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Title: [Photograph of Dr. King at Howard University]

Date:

1835 ca.

Unknown

Photographs

Title: [Carte de visite of Edward Everett]

Everett was Massachusetts Congressman.

GLC03223.02

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Title: [Carte de visite of Edward Everett]

Date: 1835 ca.

[1840's ca.]

Unknown

Photographs

Title: Carte de visite of Ulysses S. Grant

Image of a young Grant in civilian clothes. Photograph of a photograph. Mounted on cloth. Ink detailing on collar. Graphite inscription on verso "S.S. [struck: put this] U.S. Grant."

GLC05111.02.0402

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Title: Carte de visite of Ulysses S. Grant

Date: [1840's ca.]

1843

Wilson, Billy

Photographs

Title: In uniform rank obscured, standing full-length portrait hand in pocket

Graphite inscription on verso "Billy Wilson Wm.L ? 1843." Photographers imprint on verso: "Published by E. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York. From Photographic Negaive, from Brady's National Portrait Gallery."

GLC05111.02.1102

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Title: In uniform rank obscured, standing full-length portrait hand in pocket

Date: 1843

1845

Photographs

Title: [Ulysses S. Grant and Alexander Hays]

Inscription on verso reads "[illegible] 2nd Lt. U.S. Grant. Alex Hayes, 4th Infantry, USA. Camp Salubrity, La. 1845-. 1864 - Liuetenant General U.S. Grant. Brigadier General Alex Hays.

GLC04504.01

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Title: [Ulysses S. Grant and Alexander Hays]

Date: 1845

[circa 1848]

E. & H.T. Anthony (Firm)

Photographs

Title: [General Robert E. Lee]

Black & white portrait of a young General Robert E. Lee. Published by E. Anthony, 501 Broadway N.Y. Image included Originally with an autographed letter written by Robert E. Lee to his brother "Rose" (see GLC00215).

GLC00215.03

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Title: [General Robert E. Lee]

Date: [circa 1848]

1850 ca.

Pierce, Franklin (1804-1869)

Photographs

Title: Salt print portrait of Pierce, oval, mounted on lined paper

Depicts as a middle-aged man with a little gray hair at the side-burns. The photograph is mounted on lined paper which has slightly cockled. (Actual image size: 19 x13.5 cm) (Per Peter Mustardo, this appears to be a copy of a daguerreotype from the National Portrait Gallery.)

GLC05247

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Title: Salt print portrait of Pierce, oval, mounted on lined paper

Date: 1850 ca.

1850s

Tieman, Daniel T.

Photographs

Title: Three portaits of a NYC reformer mayor: daguerreotype, ambrotype & later carte

The three items are: 1. Daguerreotype. Half view, seated, with left hand holding jacket label and right holding a book. Cased: 15.2 x 12.0 (2.0) cm. 2. Ambrotype half view, seated with hands in lap, no case, 8.2 x 7.1 (.6) cm. Varnished back. 3. Modern print of carte de visite by Brady-NY, tucked into slits on mount, with note of F.H. Meserve, CDV 8/2 x 5.3, mount: 21.6 x 13.9

GLC05188

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Title: Three portaits of a NYC reformer mayor: daguerreotype, ambrotype & later carte

Date: 1850s

1850 ca.

Brady, Mathew B. (ca. 1823-1896)

Photographs

Title: Daniel F. Tiemann

Modern print of carte de visite by Brady-NY, tucked into slits on mount, with note of F.H. Meserve. Inscribed on mount: "Daniel F. Tiemann, mayor of New York. From a negative of M.B. Brady. The Collection of F.H. Meserve."

GLC05188.03

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Title: Daniel F. Tiemann

Date: 1850 ca.

1850s?

Porter, Noah

Photographs

Title: Quarter plate daguerreotype in original gilt decorated leather case

A 1/4 plate daguerreotype. Youthful bust-length pose in academic robes. Porter was the president of Yale 1871-1886 and previously edited Webster's American Dictionary after the death of Chauncey Goodrich.

GLC06184

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Title: Quarter plate daguerreotype in original gilt decorated leather case

Date: 1850s?

circa 1850

Unknown

Photographs

Title: [Garrison, William Lloyd.]

Half length seated portrait of Garrison facing proper left, probably ca. 1850.

GLC06391.05

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Title: [Garrison, William Lloyd.]

Date: circa 1850

1853 ca.

Pierce, Franklin (1804-1869)

Photographs

Title: Large salt print

GLC07553

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Title: Large salt print

Date: 1853 ca.

1854

P.E. Gibbs Richard

Photographs

Title: [Ambrotype of Edward R. Archer]

Cased image of a sailor [probably Edward R. Archer] sitting and holding his cap. Half-length portrait in full, broken case. Stamped in matte: "AMBROTYYPE BY P.E. GIBBS RICHD" and "PATENT JULY 4 & 11 1854".

GLC01896.175

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Title: [Ambrotype of Edward R. Archer]

Date: 1854

1854

Unknown

Photographs

Title: [Daguerrotype of Richard W. Jeffery]

Uncased daguerreotype of a man [probably Richard W. Jeffery] sitting and holding a walking stick. Half length portrait, with severe eroision of image.

GLC01896.176

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Title: [Daguerrotype of Richard W. Jeffery]

Date: 1854

1855

Cook, I. N.

Photographs

Title: [Carte de visite portrait, George May Powell, young man]

Carte de visite portrait, George May Powell, young man

GLC00687.278

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Title: [Carte de visite portrait, George May Powell, young man]

Date: 1855

1855 ca.

Unknown

Photographs

Title: [John Cabell Breckinridge]

Includes one carte de visite size albumen photograph mounted on a large mat.

GLC05007.02

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Title: [John Cabell Breckinridge]

Date: 1855 ca.

1856 ca.

Anson, Rufus (fl. 1856)

Photographs

Title: 1/4 plate daguerreotype in uniform by Rufus Anson

Daguerreotype showing George Lucas Hartsuff in regular US Army uniform as second artillery officer. Sothebys suggested it was probably taken shortly before he returned to West Point as an instructor in 1856. Case (not original): 12.75 x 10.3 x 2.4 cm.

GLC04688

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Title: 1/4 plate daguerreotype in uniform by Rufus Anson

Date: 1856 ca.

1858 ca.

Cole, Henry

Photographs

Title: Salt print photograph of Abraham Lincoln, attributed to H. H. Cole or R. M. Cole

Clean-shaven. Oval salt print. O-14 Ostendorf 14 (who suggests attribution to Roderick M. Cole of Peoria), Mellon pl. 8. This picture was widely reproduced in campaign ribbons of 1860. Attributed to Henry H. or Roderick M. Cole. (See also GLC 3950, tintype based on this image.)

GLC00590

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