PAIR OF C. 1841 AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPES

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PAIR OF C. 1841 AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPES:
$152.50

THIS sale IS FOR A PAIR OF VERY EARLY 6TH PLATE AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPES

Please read these notes carefully before emailing me with questions. The answer to your question may readilybe found below.

Image No.1

Sixth plate: 2 3/4 x 3 1/4 inches or 7x8cm. Re-sealed plate with P90 tape.

Heavy tarnish spots and marks on the plate.

EARLY EXPERIMENTAL AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPE C. 1840-41 of a young gentleman, posed with a drape or curtain to the left hand side of his body. In this daguerreotype the sitter\'s arm is draped over a different posing table. How do I know this? The posing table cover cloth is entirely different in design than in the other daguerreotype. The cloth appears to be a bue-green colour and is composed of a geometric, abstract motif of shapes. This could indicate that the daguerreotype was taken by a different operator. The sitter\'s face is lightly hand coloured and so too, is his hand. I have seen colouring on other very early daguerreotypes from America (and even owned a few) dating back as early as 1840. It is not uncommon. Other early (1840-42) hand tintedexamples have been published in books about daguerreotypes. The sitter\'s coat buttons are highlighted in gilt.

The case has a weak spine hinge where the leather is slack. There is some scuffing on the bottom rail and the leather has peeled off leaving a bald area measuring some 8 mm in length. The top lid bears the recognisable PLUMBE cornucopia motif but this case may not be original to the daguerreotype - we have no way of telling. The silk liner pad is speckled with some faded spots but is otherwise a deep purple colour. Theobverse of the case is plain and undecorated as with the other example listed. Hook and eyelet present and still functional with marginal signs of wear and tear to the leather. The appearance of this daguerreotype is slightly hazy (milky?)and yet in certain lights and positions the likeness is sharp andclearly discernible (use a flashlight and a black card above the image). It may have been cleaned in the distant past - it is hard to say. The tarnish is heavy and occludes some areas. The sitter\'s shirt front is solarised. Despite these flaws this is a historic and important example of a very early American daguerreotype portrait from the \'experimental\' No.2

A very early 6th plate American Daguerreotype taken around 1840-41.

RARE and DESIRABLE to the collector of very early American Daguerreotypes.

The daguerreotype has an odd cast to it - a slightly blue/grey colouration and has all the appearance of an early, experimental image made at the beginning of the period in America when daguerreotypes were first being introduced. I believe it\'s too early to be later than 1841. There are various factors which influence this opinion.

The subject is a young gentleman dressed in the attire of the late 1830\'s. He is standing up and leaning against a highly distinctive and heavily patterned tablecloth on a posing table. He wears a verylarge collar and hiscravat that is tucked underneath, tied in abow. He\'s probably aged about 25 years and looks to the side with a somewhatpensive expression. The more I look at this daguerreotype I am convinved there is some colour tinting present on his face and hands.This is the same sitter as appears in the other c.1841 6th plate daguerreotype I am currently selling on .

Size: 2 3/4 x 3 1/4 inches or 7 x 8cm.

The plate has heavy tarnish and has never been cleaned.

It has been archivally re-sealed with P90 tape by a professional photographicconservator not an amateur.

In a full case with a deeppurple silk liner pad. The case is in good condition with hook and eyelet present and is completelyfunctional. Simple geometric swirl designs on the top lid - plain, undecorated leather reverse to case. Octagonal pebbled mat. Nothing in the back of the case in terms of ID or maker\'s mark. The daguerreotype is too tight to remove from the case repeatedly.