This carte de visite photograph of a single boot was taken at the studio of William Foss Shorey. Shorey’s studio is known to have been located at 105 W. Baltimore Street during the late 1860s.
Why a boot? The most likely explanation is that a boot-maker wished to advertise the quality of his wares.
This boot resembles the “Enlisted Men’s Boot” now handcrafted by Robert Land Footwear for the Civil War reenactment market.
I have not been able to make sense of the faint lettering at the bottom front and on the reverse.
Photographicus Baltimorensis 
We own a carte de viste which is of a common family member of William F. Shorey and my wife. It is a photo of a portrait painting. The reverse has a shield and within the shield is: “Shorey’s Gallery 87 W. Baltimore St. Baltimore, Md”. Do you know when he was at this location? Rick S.
Hi Rick . . . Thanks for reading my blog. According to Ross Kelbaugh’s “Directory of Maryland Photographers,” Shorey was at that location ca. 1864-1866.