December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 85:
Description
This is an authentic late 19th-century Carte de Visite CDV photograph depicting a young sailor in a bust-length studio pose. The subject is wearing a traditional, dark-colored naval jumper with a characteristic square collar and a knotted neckerchief, confirming his service in a European navy, most likely the British Royal Navy due to Malta s status as a major British naval base. The image shows the sailor resting his arms over a padded, fringed studio prop, with the printing London Studio Malta visible directly beneath the image. The reverse of the card is highly decorative, featuring an elaborate gold-on-black design of an artist at an easel, identifying the photographer as S. C. Preziosi, Artist Photographer, 133, Strada Teatro, VALLETTA MALTA. The style of the sailor s uniform and the high-quality decorative backing date this piece to the period of significant British naval activity in the Mediterranean, likely between the 1880s and 1900s. This CDV is a choice collectible piece of naval and Mediterranean history.
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