1880's or so cabinet photo of a handsome young boy with no arms. He is wearing a six pointed star metal badge. Below that is pinned another badge with a metal eagle with outstretched wings on the top. Hanging from the eagle bar is a metal shield & a silk ribbon. The metal shield probably has one or two portraits on it. We are guessing that this probably contained a portrait of either Grover Cleveland (& possibly also Thurman his running mate) or Benjamin Harrison (& possibly also Morton his running mate) & that it may have been a presidential campaign ribbon badge.

The reason we are saying this is that the ribbon badge with metal eagle & metal shield that the boy is wearing is laid out exactly like two specific campaign ribbon badges which were used for both of those presidential candidates in the 1880's.There is probably a 90%+ chance that we are correct on this assertion. However, we are unable to verify or eliminate our supposition as the badge is not clear enough in the photo for us to determine one way or another beyond any reasonable doubt. IF we had an example of one of the actual badges on hand to compare with the badge shown in the photo we would probably be able to determine because there is enough detail in the badge the boy is wearing. But, we do not have either of those two presidential campaign badges on hand. The photo has the photographer's imprint on the back of: "Andrew Lynd, Perry, N.Y."

Over the 50+ years that we have been interested in early photos we have seen &/or owned several early photos of known & identified people missing limbs who were in sideshows. But, we have never owned or even seen another example of this particular photo. It is our theory that this boy was NOT in the circus or in any sort of a sideshow & that this was a personal family photo thereby accounting for it's rarity. There is a slight brown stain at the bottom left border. Otherwise, the photo is in pleasing condition. The size is 6 7/16 inches by 4 3/16 inches.

Please examine the photos closely & purchase based on your own judgement as to condition & value.

This item is inventory #10518.

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