James Ball African American Photographer 1860 Gentleman CDV Photo Black JP

DETAILS: Original cartes de visite photograph by African American photographer James Presley Ball. Measures approximately 2.5" x 4" inches. BIOGRAPHY: James Presley Ball Sr. He was among the most renowned African American photographers, at one point owning the largest photo gallery in the United States.

Ball learned the art of photography in 1845 when he met John Bailey, an African American Daguerreotypist. He soon opened a studio in Cincinnati in 1846, and though it was unsuccessful, he continued his art with studios in Pittsburgh and Richmond and traveled as a journeyman Daguerreotypist. In 1849, he reopened a studio in Cincinnati and partnered with his future brother-in-law Alexander Thomas. By 1857, their gallery was among of the largest in the US attracting notables including Frederick Douglass.

In 1887 Ball was chosen as the official photographer of a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation held in Minneapolis-St. In 1888, he moved to Helena, Montana with his son where he operated a new studio. They would later relocate it to Seattle. Born in Virginia he daguerreotype photography in Boston from John B. Bailey, who like Ball, was a freeman of color.

Ball opened his first studio in Cincinnati, Ohio 1845 which went on to become was one of the most popular portrait studios in mid-19th century America. Oxxbridge Galleries was founded in 1987 and specializes in vintage paper items with a large selection of historical and 19th Century tintypes, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, cabinet cards, carte des visites and other types of early photography.

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