Gen Meade U.S.A.

By WL Germon’s, Philadelphia. From my collection

By W.L. Germon’s, Philadelphia. From my collection. 

By F. Gutekunst, Philadelphia. from my collection. 

By F. Gutekunst, Philadelphia. From my collection. 

By F. Gutekunst, Philadelphia. Signed on reverse by Lt. Col. Hopkinson. From my collection. 

By F. Gutekunst, Philadelphia. From my collection. 

By M.P. Simons, Philadelphia. From my collection

By M.P. Simons, Philadelphia. From my collection.

Cdv. By Jordan & Co., late Bogardus, N.Y.

Cdv by Jordan & Co. Late Bogardus, N.Y.

By F. Gutekunst, published by McAllister & Co., Philadelphia 

‘A Soldier’s Friend’ north or south, aid to the wounded, philanthropist. By F. Gutekunst. Philadelphia 

Inscribed in album as simply ‘Bohlen’. Philadelphia. From my collection.

Blank back. Inscribed underneath in album as ‘Bohlen’. From my collection. 

This image was found in an album with many Philadelphians including a signed cdv of Lt. Col. Oliver Hopkinson in civilian attire. See included here. Oliver was a son of Joseph Hopkinson, grandson of Francis Hopkinson a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Joseph Hopkinson was a very close friend of Joseph Bonaparte. Joseph lived in Philadelphia for a time before moving to Bordentown, NJ. This photo was placed in an album among Civil War military generals-Meade, Reynolds, and several others. Specifically he was on a page with two slots, this one and one of Gen John Fulton Reynolds. On the opposite page were two photos of Gen George Meade. The album was inscribed in rear as belonging to simply the ‘Meade Family’. At some point the album was owned with other Bonaparte family items by a reputable collector in Pennsylvania. His collection was later sold at auction.

Original photo of this was probably a daguerreotype and was obviously ‘cut and pasted’ (or the equivalent in early photography) then photographed as a paper cdv copy by W.L. Germon’s of Philadelphia.

Because if it’s album connections and it’s similarities to later photos of Prince Napolean-Jerome, son of Napoleons youngest brother Jerome this is probably a photo of Prince Napoleon nicknamed Plon-Plon. If he is about 30 (b. 1822) in the original daguerreotype wouid have been taken around 1852. There’s another photo in a book of Mathew Brady daguerreotypes by Michael Horan that includes a dag by Brady inscribed as Joseph Bonaparte. The author believes it must have meant Prince Napolean Joseph since birth and death dates of Joseph Bonaparte make that identification impossible. If it was inscribed as such by Brady we can infer he likely meant Napoleon Joseph, the nephew, and definitely a Bonaparte! See that image from book added in this section at bottom. Looks very alike this image as well as many others of Plon-Plon later in his life. He died in 1891.

Believed to be a close relative of Napoleon Bonaparte. See detail of this for info about source album and why this man is believed to be Napoleon’s nephew, Prince Napoleon Joseph Charles Paul, also known as Prince Napolean.-Jerome, Prince Napoleon or by the nickname Plon-Plon. He was a son of Napoleon’s youngest brother Jerome. Prince Napoleon was born in 1822 and died in 1891.

Unknown. Does anyone recognize this war era Philadelphian? See detail for more clarity. Lots of clues in the photo and but no positive id as yet!