Tom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton), Lavinia Warren | "The Fairy Wedding Group"

Tom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton), Lavinia Warren

The Fairy Wedding Group. London: The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company[and] New York: E. & H.T. Anthony, [ca. 1863].

Eight cartes-de-visites (85 x 55 mm), seven printed by The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company, one by E. & H.T. Anthony, the latter with facsimile signatures on verso, captioned "The Fairy Wedding Group" on the mat, and blindstamped twice in lower corners; signed mat a little browned though signatures are bright, spotting to images. Matted and framed.

Souvenir cartes-de-visites sold on the occasion of General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren's wedding in 1863. The print by E & H.T. Anthony features facsimile signatures of Stratton, Lavinia Warren, Minnie Warren (Lavinia's younger sister and bridesmaid), and G.W.M. Nutt (Stratton's best man). The prints depict the group, along with other guests, on Stratton and Warren's wedding day. 

Matthew Brady produced the original cartes-de-visites, which sold by the thousands. They were so popular that he licensed the rights to other printers, who then reproduced them from the negatives.

REFERENCE:

Magic, 118; "Somebody's Luggage (Miniature Wedding Album of Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren)," The Cleveland Museum of Art