Bidspirit auction | Late 19th C. Steam Locomotive

Late 19th C. Steam Locomotive 974 Photo w/ Crew - This vintage photograph, likely an albumen print or a sepia-toned silver gelatin print from the late 19th century, depicts a large steam locomotive identified as engine No. 974. The image features a group of nine railroad workers, including engineers and firemen, posing in front of and on the locomotive. The men are dressed in period industrial workwear, including denim overalls, heavy vests, and various caps, with the figure on the far left wearing a bowler hat. The locomotive exhibits characteristic features of the era, including a large funnel-shaped smokestack, a prominent headlight, and two domes on the boiler. The engine number 974 is clearly visible on the front headlight casing, the side of the sand dome, and the side of the cab. The print is housed in a contemporary period wooden frame featuring a dark, faux-tortoiseshell or grain-painted finish with a thin gilded inner lip. The photograph is set behind a cream-colored mat which bears a green inventory sticker marked 77 in the upper left corner. The reverse side reveals a traditional wooden plank backing secured with nails and a simple wire for hanging.