Lot 1668

Prang's American Card Album with Winslow Homer's "Life in Camp" - Album with 300 Card Chromolithographs

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Prang's American Card Album with Winslow Homer's "Life in Camp" - Album with 300 Card Chromolithographs

Estimate: $20,000 - $25,000

Starting Bid: $5,000

(0 Bids)

by Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books
July 11, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
115 Hampsted Lane
Franklin, TN, US 37069

This is an important and rare Americana collection with 300 cards is Louis Prang's American Card Album. The cards were published by L. Prang & Co in 1864 in Boston.

The volume is bound in contemporary green calf over beige cloth, spine gilt lettered, metal clasps. The title leaf is printed in gold. There are 300 chromolithographed cards in total mounted to gray card album pages.

It includes the rare 12 card second series of "Life in Camp" by Winslow Homer. It also includes other Prang series including: "Views in Central Park, New York" (24), "White Mountain Scenery" (12), "Winter Scenes" (12), as well as various chromos on the following subjects: roses, plants and Herbs (84), ferns & mosses (24), leaves (24), butterflies (24), birds (48), farm animals (12), America & the world (12).

Prang and Homer issued the "Life in Camp" series in December of 1864. "A careful examination of [these images] reveals in rough form the subject matter of two of Homer's wartime canvases." (Neely & Holzer, The Union Image: Popular Prints of the Civil War North, pp 69-70) In December of 1863, during the creation of Campaign Sketches, Homer had written to Prang, "The stone was received all right. I shall commence it very soon, probably send it to you week from Wednesday," evincing the very real possibility that Homer himself drew the images for these lithographs on stone.

Louis Prang (1824-1909) was an American printer, lithographer, and publisher. He has been referred to as the "father of the American Christmas Card."

Winslow Homer (1836-1910) was an American painter and printmaker. He began as an apprentice in 1854 in Boston working for John H. Bufford and by 1859 he was creating illustrations for Harper's Weekly. He created some of the most important and valued illustrations during the Civil War.

Provenance: Susan F. Willis (contemporary inscription from father)

  • Dimensions: Album ~ 9 1/8" by ~ 9"; Card Size ~ 2 1/2" by 4"
  • Literature: American Card Album
  • Medium: Album with 300 Card Chromolithographs
  • Circa: 1864
  • Condition: The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. The spine is rubbed slightly, boards slightly soiled. There is occasional minor stain or spots to cards, but generally very clean with vibrant color. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

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Bid Increments
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$0 $99 $5
$100 $299 $10
$300 $699 $25
$700 + $50