Revenue Stamps On Civil War Era Photographs

To help pay for the rapidly escalating costs of the Civil War,
Congress added a new tax on all photographs effective June 30, 1864.

The tax was 2c for a photograph "with a retail value of not over 25c,
3c for a photo costing over 25c but not over 50c;
5c for photos costing over 50c but not over a dollar;
and for each additional dollar or fraction of a dollar, another 5c."
to be paid for by attaching a revenue stamp on the back of the photograph.

Since revenue stamps were required on photographs only from 1864 to 1866,
their presence gives us the approximate dates of pictures of the Civil War era.

Here are some photos with revenue stamps that I purchased in Nashua a few months ago.



Scott #R19 3c Telegraph, green, cancelled in pen on Sept, 1, 1864. Photographer was Schuyler C. Baldwin, Calamazoo, Michigan.
Kalamazoo had a population of around 7,500 at the time.




Scott #R13 2c Proprietary, blue, pen cancelled with an 'X'. Photographer was D.A. Lee, Jerseyville, Illinois.




Scott #R6 2c Bank Check, orange, pen or pencil cancelled "PD 64" or "PP 64". Photographer was Peter Platter, Seymour, Indiana.

Wow, I never knew they did that. I think I know another thing I'm going to be keeping my eye out on.

Schuyler C. Baldwin
Calamazoo, Mich.
Negatives Preserved.

As a photographer, I wonder where those preserved negatives are, today?

Never knew there was a federal tax on photographs. It looks as if this is where collectors of revenue stamps go into competition with collectors of old photographs for material.

I haven't found many. When my wife drags me to antique stores, I always look for them.

That gal in the furs looks well to do! Cool history! I wonder what else they had to tax by putting stamps on things.
Gussyboy1

T360, if you don't mind me asking - about how much would one of those cost - I'm not talking about one that might have a rare or scarce value, but just a regular one.

They are very interesting and I can see them being one heck of a conversation piece.

Hello T.......

Great little collection of revenues used the way they were intended.

The prices vary quite a bit. The market seems to be driven primarily by photograph collectors. Photographs of soldiers in uniform, pretty ladies and cute children in fancy clothes are worth more. If the photographer is identified on the back, that is a plus. The revenue stamp is a plus as well to photo collectors, probably because it helps to date the photo. Cut corners is a minus. The overall state of preservation and freshness of appearance is important. To me, the condition and Scott number of the stamp is also important. I have paid from $3-10 each.

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I wonder what else they had to tax by putting stamps on things.

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Just about all documents related to a business transaction, including all bank checks, company ledgers, bills of lading, mortgages, stock certificates, etc.
Medicines, matches, playing cards, perfumes, tobacco, beer.

Weiser Family Photographs, each with a 2c Playing Cards revenue stamp.

I was at an antique store the other day that had a pile of old Railroad stock certificates many with revenue stamps on them. I may have to go make the owner an offer on the lot, would anyone be interested?

did they have nice engravings of trains on them?

Interesting to see Kalamazoo spelled with a "C" rather than a "K". I wonder if this was an error or if it was the original spelling of the city?

David

Theres something new to learn everyday (taxstamps on photos)

I would like to see more please.

i have some hand written reciepts with tax stamps on them around here somewhere.
I will post some when I find them