Lot 192

Antique 1866 American Civil War Sentimental "The Empty Sleeve" Steel Engraving by J.C. Buttre after A.L. Sawyer RUSTIC CARVED FRAMED

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Lot 192
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Antique 1866 American Civil War Sentimental "The Empty Sleeve" Steel Engraving by J.C. Buttre after A.L. Sawyer RUSTIC CARVED FRAMED
Antique 1866 American Civil War Sentimental "The Empty Sleeve" Steel Engraving by J.C. Buttre after A.L. Sawyer RUSTIC CARVED FRAMED
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Antique 1866 American Civil War Sentimental "The Empty Sleeve" Steel Engraving by J.C. Buttre after A.L. Sawyer RUSTIC CARVED FRAMED

Current Bid: $25

(1 Bid)
by One Source Auctions
August 3, 2026 5:00 PM EDT
Live Auction
177 S. Main St.
Canandaigua, NY, US 14424

The artwork typically depicts a returning Civil War veteran holding a young child, with his missing arm serving as a stark visual anchor. 1870 steel engraving with tonal mezzotint elements is titled The Empty Sleeve. The work is based on an original drawing by Miss A.L. Sawyer and was engraved and published by J.C. Buttre at 48 Franklin Street, New York. The sentimental Victorian-era subject depicts a veteran in a dark military tunic, his left sleeve pinned empty, holding a young curly-haired child while seated before a window that overlooks a river landscape. Below the main title is the sub-caption: What a tell tale thing is an empty sleeve. The lower margin contains the following inscriptions: Drawn by Miss A.L. Sawyer at the left, Engraved by J.C. Buttre at the right, and a central copyright line reading Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1870 by J.C. Buttre in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. The print displays a visible plate mark and is a period impression with soft tonal gradations characteristic of the combined engraving and mezzotint technique. It is housed in a period rustic carved wooden frame featuring cross-corner joints and applied foliate leaf motifs. It served as a powerful cultural symbol of personal sacrifice, loss, and the heavy human toll of the war. Pinning up an empty sleeve became a badge of honor for the roughly 45,000 amputees who survived the conflict. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. Quotes available on request

  • Dimensions: 16" x 20" and 22" x 26.25"
  • Condition: Good - Very Good Condition. Foxing on the engraving

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $99 $5
$100 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $9,999 $250
$10,000 + $500