Prized quarter-plate daguerreotype of Selim Hobart Peabody, (former president of University of Illinois), along with a later sixth-plate ambrotype of him and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Pangborn Peabody. This fabulous daguerreotype shows Selim standing in the back, on the left, with three other men. We assume this was a keepsake of him and his chums who graduated from the University of Vermont together in 1852. They were clearly in a fraternal or university organization as each gentleman has a key prominently displayed in their vest pockets - although these could possibly be honorable merit keys. The gentlemen are serious in nature with each in a scholarly pose. It would be fascinating to identify Selim’s peers to see if they had equally successful careers. The image is a dynamic grouping with each man perfectly styled in a tuxedo look with tails. It is also housed in a beautiful “Wolfert’s Roost” leather case, Berg 4-12, which seems to be an appropriate design for a New England image.
The ambrotype shows Selim at a later age and there is a hand engraved signature on the bottom left of the brass mat that reads Selim Peabody. On the right side is his wife, Mary Elizabeth Pangborn Peabody, 1832-1904. She was also born in Vermont and they were married in 1852. Their genealogical records are quite extensive and include a son who had an illustrious career as a Professor Emeritus of Naval Architecture at M. I. T., a stint also at the University of Illinois and a professor of mathematics at Imperial Agricultural College, Sapporo, Japan.
The following is compiled data from numerous online sources which are easily available:
Selim Hobart Peabody (1829–1903) was an American educator, born at Rockingham, Vermont. He graduated at the University of Vermont in 1852, during the following years held professorships of mathematics, physics, and engineering at several colleges, and from 1880 to 1891 was president of the University of Illinois. In 1893 he was chief of the department of liberal arts at the World’s Columbian Exposition, in 1899–1900 editor and statistician of the United States Commission to the Paris Exposition, and in 1900 superintendent of the division of liberal arts at the Pan-American Exposition. From 1892 to 1895 he served as president of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and from 1889 to 1891 as president of The National Council of Education.
Associate Editor of the International Cyclopædia, under Editor-in-Chief Harry Thurston Peck. His Publications include: Astronomy 1869; Juvenile Natural History 3 Vol 1869; New Practical Arithmetic 1872; American Patriotism 1880; Charts of Arithmetic 1900; Peabody Genealogy (Paybody, Pabody, Pabodie) 1909 Compiled by Selim Hobart Peabody LL. D. Edited by Charles Henry Pope, Boston, MA Charles H. Pope Publisher Pope Building, -Advance funding by Mr. Frank Everett Peabody.
Most of this information was from family research via his “find a grave” page which shows an identified paper image that is identical to the sixth-plate ambrotype. Here is a precise timeline of his accomplishments:
1852 -Graduated College at Burlington, VT
1853 -Professor of Mathematics at a collegiate institution in Fairfax, VT
1857 -Moved to Eau Claire, WI
1859 -Principal of High School of Fond du lac, WI
1862 -Superintendent of schools in Racine, WI
1871 -Chair of Physics & Civil Engineering at Amherst Agricultural College
1878 -Chair of Mechanical Engineering & Physics U of I
1881-91 -President of University of IL
1899-1900 -Editor & Statistician of the US Commission to the Paris Exposition
1900 Superintendent of the division of Liberal Arts at the Pan-American Exposition.
1892-95 -Served as President of the Chicago Academy of Sciences
1889-91 -President of the National Council of Education
This is a rare find, with a timeline spaning Selim’s college graduation to a later photo of his marriage in the early years of his career. The daguerreotype is in very good plus condition with great tones and contrast with a few small spots as seen. At an angle a stray light buffing line is visible. The image had old seals on the back and we have resealed it with a new glass. The Wolfert’s Roost case is in very good condition with great raised relief and some wear and a replaced pneumatic leather hinge. The two ambrotypes show Selim now with a mustache and beard. He has an interesting thinning hairstyle with a big sweeping curl on the top of his head. Quite honestly it looks like a wave in the ocean! Mary looks equally as studious as her husband and it would be interesting to delve into her history. The Cuttings Patent vignette ambrotypes are in very good minus condition with nice tones and contrast. Both have original seals and each is identified with a later note attached on the back of the image. There is some spotting and a few marks as seen. At an angle we see some lines through the black backing of Mary’s portrait. His ambrotype is stamped Willard, for whom there are a number of listings in Craig’s Registry. The most noted of course are in NYC, Boston and Philadelphia. We assume these were taken during their trip to Wisconsin but there is also a Willard in Buffalo Grove, IL who could possibly have been the photographer. This is a rare pair with significant history, especially as it relates to the University of Illinois, a most prestigious university. Opportunities to add important identified images don’t occur very often now so put these in your collection before they disappear!
$1,750
