The Portraits and Signatures Collection is an artificial collection of engravings and photographs, being predominantly portraits of a variety of individuals both famous and unknown and including many signatures in reproduction. Subjects include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and several other American presidents and statesmen; Lord Jeffery Amherst; Kings George III, George IV, George V and Queen Victoria of England; and several actors in character (George Alexander, John L. Toole). The collection also includes a series of engravings depicting scenes from Shakespeare's plays, several depictions of historic events in European history, and a small number of city views. Also of note are two photographs of teachers and children in the Freedmen's schools sponsored by the American Missionary Society, Norfolk, Virginia, ca. 1865. The collection also includes one folder of unidentified 19th century photographs.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.