Framed limited edition print of General Robert E. Lee from the original glass-plate negative of Michael Miley (SOLD,MB)

This is a beautiful piece being offered, it is a Limited-Edition original print of General Robert E. Lee from the American Historical Foundation. It was printed directly from the Michael Miley glass plate negative in their permanent collection. The overall size of the framed image is 21” x 13” and in gold on black background is “R.E.Lee / General Robert E. Lee / 1807 – 1870”. “Printed directly from the Michael Miley glass plate negative in our permanent collection. Limited Edition / The American Historical Foundation”. In ink on the photograph is the number of the print “429/1807”.

Born in Rockingham County Virginia north of Staunton, Michael Miley joined the Confederate army at the age of 19, serving under Thomas J. ( Stonewall) Jackson. Miley was captured at Chancellorsville and spent the rest of the war as a POW at Fort Delaware. After the surrender at Appomattox, Miley worked in Staunton with J. H. Burdett, one of Staunton's first photographers. It is believed that he learned how to print positive images there using the albumen wet plate process.

He then began work for Andrew Plecker, a traveling photographer from Lynchburg. It was at this time that he took his first picture of Robert E. Lee. In 1866 he formed a partnership with John C. Boude. In 1870 he bought out Boude and started a portrait business of his own. His portraits included Robert E Lee, his family, President Jefferson Davis, John C Breckenridge, Generals Beauregard and Jubal Early. He did a lot of work for Washington College and the Virginia Military Institute, including several famous portraits of Robert E. Lee.

When these prints were released in the 1990s, I was one of the first ones to place my order for one. Since than it held a prominent spot on my wall at home. Recently, I was able to acquire this one, so I am passing it along. There were only 1807 of these prints produced – that number because Lee passed away in 1807. The Certificate of Authenticity is on the back of the framed print. This is a beautiful piece of Civil War History.