Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Civil War Pictorial Envelope, Ms2008-088, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Civil War Pictorial Envelope was purchased by Special Collections in 1991.

Processing Information

The processing and description of the Civil War Pictorial Envelope commenced and was completed in November 2008.

Biographical Note

Charles Magnus was born in 1826 and emigrated from Elberfeld, Germany to the United States around 1848. Magnus worked in New York from 1850 to 1899 as a publisher, artist, and map dealer, among other print-related occupations. He utilized lithography and hand-coloring in his work. During the American Civil War, he published approximately 700 pictorial envelopes. Civil War envelopes began appearing before the war due to increasing sectional tensions and were published until shortly before the cessation of hostilities. Commonly depicted scenes on Magnus's envelopes include battlefields, American eagles, and the star-spangled banner. Charles Magnus died in 1900.

External source: Charles Magnus Collection, Col. 123, The Winterthur Library, Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Deleware, http://library.winterthur.org:8001/lib/item?id=chamo:26699 .

Scope and Content

The Civil War Pictorial Envelope is an American Civil War-era paper envelope with a hand-painted lithograph on one side depicting Union soldiers on horseback fending off Confederate soldiers on foot. Drawn swords and muskets appear in the illustration. The envelope was published by Charles Magnus of New York and has his name and the location of his business on the bottom left corner.

Related Material

Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives also has the Bird's Eye View of Alexandria, Va., Map.0144 , which is attributed to Charles Magnus.

See also the Charles Magnus Collection, Col. 123 , at The Winterthur Library, Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Deleware, and the Charles Magnus Collection of Prints and Illustrated Lettersheets, PRI3749 , at the New York State Library, Albany, New York.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Civil War Pictorial Envelope by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).