| Lot 1 |
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At first glance we could assume this sixth-plate daguerreotype is an occupational image and most likely a gold miner from out West. When comparing this to the documented images from the period the plate certainly fits. However, the more we examine this piece, the only definitive conclusion we can come to is that it truly doesn’t matter with such an exceptional portrait. Dressed in a typical miner shirt the sitter wears a very cool, large, slightly tattered, paisley bandana tied around his neck. We can imagine he pulled this out of his back pocket full a sweat from a hard day’s work and decided to wear it so that he would look a little more presentable for his trip to the daguerreian studio. His hat on the other hand is quite rare and outstanding. Under magnification we can see that the inside is lined with thick fur and we’re sure this supplied the necessary warmth on those cold days and nights. As far as the gentleman himself, he is quite handsome with dark features. He has soulful eyes and his face has certainly seen its share of hard work in the elements. Underneath the hat he has a very thick head of gorgeous curly hair - we would be most curious to see him without his hat! His beard looks equally curly but he has kept it trimmed close to his face. One intriguing feature is the long fringe that is partially visible under both his right and left arms. The plate is in excellent condition with a few small tarnish spots and a hint of tarnish at the bottom. There is some light tinting to his face. The image had extremely tight old seals intact. We have resealed the image with a new glass and it is housed in a sharp full case with a repaired hinge. This image would complement any collection! |
opening bid: $1,200
current bid $1,700
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| Lot
2 |
Fabulous English quarter-plate daguerreotype of a gorgeous young woman in her finest attire. Posed by the daguerreotypist in an artistic manner, she exudes a large degree of self-confidence. Her beautiful black satin gown is accentuated by a stunning checkered bonnet with matching bow. Not to be outdone, her lovely long ringlets are perfectly coiffed in a complimentary fashion. The plate is in excellent condition with beautifully executed flesh tones with some exciting red highlights to the bonnet and a fantastic green hue on the bow. The color work can be much more appreciated when viewing in person. While the image is slightly soft we feel that this might have been the intention of the photographer as it has created quite the ethereal portrait. The plate has been resealed in the past and is housed in a full plain leather case. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. |
opening bid: $400
current bid: $400
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| Lot 3 |
Touching sixth-plate daguerreotype of a father, mother and their little girl, with photographer mat stamp for Knapp, 43 Fulton St., Brooklyn, in the adjacent velvet pad. Craig’s Registry lists Knapp as an ambrotypist at this address from 1858-9. Posed in perfect form the subjects are all dressed formally, with the daughter and mother wearing matching black lace fingerless gloves. The child is sporting a unique hairstyle with four spit curls on her forehead. She wears a photo locket around her neck. The image is in excellent condition with very nice tones and contrast. The faces are hand tinted and the girl’s locket and mother’s cameo pin gilded in gold. There is a slight hint of beautiful blue tarnish on the perimeter. It has been resealed and is housed in a full case. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. |
opening bid: $175
current bid: $175
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| Lot
4 |
Sweet sixth-plate daguerreotype of a lovely, slender, young woman posed with her arm resting on a table. She is wearing a creative and cutting edge outfit with accents of black silk layered on top of her black fabric dress. This gives an unusual, patterned appearance to the silk on her shoulders and sleeves. Her accessories include what appears to be lovely matching bracelets with a gilded ring and watch chain. The image is identified with a brass mat stamp for J.S. Mayer, 98 Canal St. According to Craig’s Registry, John S. Mayer was first listed in NY in 1847. He was located at this address from 1853-56. The image is in excellent condition with beautiful tones and contrast. There is some light perimeter tarnish with a few extremely small spots. The mat has a slightly smaller opening which makes for a wonderful presentation. The plate had old seals intact and it has now been resealed with a new glass. It is housed in a full leather case. |
opening bid: $85
current bid: $85
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| Lot
5 |
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Spectacular, rare, sixth-plate daguerreotype of a young daguerreotypist. Identified with a velvet mat stamp to W. Barnes, Artist, there is also a note attached that reads "Worthy W. Barnes, youngest brother of David Barnes." Behind the image there is also an identification that reads the same. Craig’s Registry doesn’t list a W. Barnes so this is possibly a rural or itinerant daguerreotypist or perhaps an amateur. We do know that Worthy is quite the cool character and certainly exudes an artist-like quality. He has a glint in his eyes and he wears a cutting-edge goatee. He has dark handsome looks and he has accentuated his portrait with red-tinted lips and some subtle tinting to his face. Included with this self-portrait are two ambrotypes of Worthy’s sisters. One is identified as "Ruth A. Barnes Knaff, (?), about 16 or 17 years." This is done in a relievo fashion with a scenic castle print background. The other image has a birthday note behind it for "Connie." The daguerreotype is in excellent condition with nice tones and contrast. There is one buffing line or mark that was most likely done during preparation of the plate as this image had tight old seals intact. We have resealed it with a new glass and it is housed in a full leather case that is split at the spine. The ambrotypes have condition problems as seen with a number of spots and dark contrast. While Worthy has learned the daguerreotype technique he is far from mastering the collodion process! Don’t miss this opportunity to own a self-portrait of a previously unknown daguerreotypist. |
opening bid: $750
current bid $
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| Lot
6 |
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Lovely sixth-plate, hand-tinted English daguerreotype of an attractive young woman. The image is identified on the back of the case with a gold stamp for R. Lowe, Promenade, Cheltenham. Cheltenham is a borough of Gloucestershire, England. Seen in a thoughtful semi-profile pose with her hand to her face, the woman is dressed in a stylish black outfit with lace highlights. A large pink bow adorns the front of her dress and she is wearing a unique large cameo bracelet that has gold gilding. On her other wrist is a jet black beaded bracelet. The sky has been tinted blue with some cloud highlights and the back of the chair and the tablecloth have also been tinted with a lovely red and blue color scheme. There are some spots as seen in the sky but these for the most part appear as clouds and do not distract in our opinion. Her face and arms have that typical expert British touch of flesh tones and her lips are a beautiful red. The image is in excellent minus condition with a few tarnish spots visible at an angle in light. The image has been resealed in the past. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. |
opening bid: $275
current bid $
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| Lot
7 |
Fabulous sixth-plate daguerreotype of a dashing young man posed in front of a very busy background. This wonderful backdrop shows an idyllic lake scene with a small sail boat zipping by the man’s shoulder. Mountains, trees and some clouds floating in the sky highlight this creative outdoor view. The gentleman wears a formal suit and is sporting a very cool beard. The image is in excellent condition with nice black and white contrast. We did a very light electrolytic cleaning to remove a larger tarnish spot. It has been resealed with a new glass and is housed in half of a case. | opening bid: $110
current bid: $150
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| Lot 8 |
Great documented North Carolina occupational sixth plate daguerreotype of surveyor Benjamin Whitfield Simmons, identified behind the image. This also comes with a sixth plate daguerreotype of his two daughters, identified as "Caroline and Jennie Simmons taken 1854." According to The History of North Carolina, Vol. 4, by R.D.W. Connor,
"Connor Benjamin Simmons was born in Montgomery County, in North Carolina on September, 1806, his birth place having been near Troy. Talented and well educated, he was prominent in the public affairs of Montgomery County, serving as county surveyor, and as magistrate. Leaving his farm in 1853, he came to Thomasville to live. He was then suffering from injuries he had received in a fall, and never recovered his former vigor, his death occurring three years later in 1856. His wife, whose maiden name was Eliza Hussey, was born, October 21, 1811, in part of Rowan County that is now included within the limits of Arcadia Township, Davidson County She was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Mock) Hussey. Mr. Hussey was a Quaker in religion and a planter by occupation. Eliza died August 12, 1847 and her body was laid to rest in the family burial ground, on the farm, on the side hill, which is now forty feet under water, it being covered by the lake at Baden." As for the daughters, our quick search has only revealed that Caroline was born, April 2, 1838, on a farm on the "Narrows," Montgomery County, North Carolina. Nothing was mentioned about Jennie. On a somber note we can assume that unless Benjamin remarried after his wife died, which we haven’t documented, these two girls became orphans two years after this daguerreotype was taken. The daguerreotype of Benjamin shows him holding the tools of his trade after his career had ended. In one hand he holds his Jacob’s staff and in the other his surveying compass. He was a strong-looking man in appearance and obviously proud of his profession -little did he know he would die two years later.
The plate has numerous wipes and a couple of light scratches as seen in the scan, although his face has escaped any damage. The presentation is still quite nice when viewing the plate straight forward and the wipes are seen mostly at an angle in light. We have experimented with a smaller mat over the glass and a lot of the wipes could be overmatted if so desired. There is also a small bend in the corner of the plate on the bottom left corner that is barely visible. This must have been a flaw of the photographer’s technique as the daughter’s image has the same bend. The plate of the daughters shows Caroline with a priceless expression of amazement and wonder. There is no doubt she was looking forward to her day in the studio. She wears a large bow with red highlights and appears to hold a small cdv photo album although this could be a book with a single brass clasp. Jennie on the other hand seems as if she couldn’t care less and surely would be happier playing outside. She holds a small bouquet of red tinted flowers in her hand. Both girls have some light tinting to their faces. There is a wipe on the top right corner and on the left side right by the mat opening. Both have been resealed with new glass and are housed in full matching cases. While slightly damaged, here is a wonderful occupational with a family bonus and a great amount of history at a reasonable price! | opening bid: $550
current bid $850
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| Lot
9 |
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Vibrant quarter-plate daguerreotype of an identified attractive young couple in a tender pose, as the husband lovingly extends his arm around his wife. Both are “lookers” and are formally dressed in simple yet stylish outfits. The image is identified with a brass mat stamp for Hawkins. While Craig’s Registry lists a few artist by that surname this is most certainly Ezekial Hawkins who started as a daguerreian in Cincinnati in 1840. Hawkins was quite the innovator and according to William Welling’s Photography in America, The Formative Years, 1839-1900, Hawkins scooped the world in the summer of 1847 by making a positive photograph on a piece of glass using collodion as his sensitizer – but nobody talked about it until nearly a dozen years later. The couple is identified behind on a paper behind the image as Mr. & Mrs. Charles Folger. Charles was the son of Zacheus and Mrs. Folger’s maiden was Jane Brown. We have found each in the Morgan Index Of Ohio People. Zacheus was listed in 1831 as a carpenter in Cincinnati while Charles was listed in 1842 as a bookkeeper. Jane was listed in 1846 as a student at Oberlin College, second year. The bright plate has very lovely tones with sharp contrast between the blacks and whites. There are some visible heavy buffing marks that almost appear as light scratches most noticeable below the woman’s collar. The plate had old seals that were extremely tight with a large amount of old dust and debris in the case so this most likely happened in the buffing of the plate. There is some light tinting to the sitters’ faces and a small band of perimeter tarnish. A great piece for further research! It is housed in a full case. | opening bid: $95
current bid: $95
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| Lot
10 |
Fabulous sixth-plate daguerreotype of a cool-looking character. This confident young man obviously has a charm of his own and, judging him from his style, he is quite fashion forward. The hat, tie and suit seem to fit the late nineteenth century more than the 1850’s. Posed with slightly bad posture he certainly seems to have more than his share of attitude and judging from his smaller stature we understand this trait. He has a square patterned handkerchief in the pocket of his suit and is sporting a fun looking polka-dot shirt accentuated with a long drooping tie. His hat however is what truly sets him apart from his contemporaries. This bright image is in excellent condition with great tones and contrast. There is some light tinting to the man’s face and a little tarnish on the perimeter. The plate had old seals intact and it has been resealed it with a new glass. It is housed in half of an "Eagle and Shield" case. | opening bid: $180
current bid: $180
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| Lot
11 |
Stunning quarter-plate daguerreotype of a darling young woman dressed in a wonderful two tone outfit with a stark black top with short sleeves. The beautiful lace highlights underneath creates a three quarter length sleeve design. The white skirt however is the most exciting piece of this ensemble, with a geometric pattern that is truly unique. Her accessories include two unique polka-dot fabric bracelets with small fabric flowers on top. Her belt is also made of fabric with a medallion style buckle. It also appears the she has an open face photo locket tucked into her belt just to the left. To complete this fabulous package, the image is contained in a beautiful black union geometric union case (Berg 3-22). This bright plate is in excellent condition with great tones and contrast. The tablecloth has been tinted with pink highlights. The image has been resealed. The case has a very nice finish and there is one small nick to the back top corner. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. | opening bid: $275
current bid: $275
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| Lot
12 |
Powerful ninth-plate daguerreotype of a dashing and handsome man. It is obvious he has quite a flare for the dramatic and his sense of confidence is accentuated by the photographer’s choice of semi-profile pose. Since this is a NYC identified piece our sitter in fact could be a thriving thespian or one of the NY elite! The image is identified with a brass mat stamp for Holmes, 289 Broadway. According to Craig’s Registry, Silas (Samuel) Holmes was first listed at this address in NY in 1848 in partnership with C.C. Harrison. He was later listed here by himself from 1850-9. The image is in very good condition with tinting to the man’s face and a nice band of perimeter tarnish. There are some scattered spots as seen in the scan. At an angle and in strong light there is a hint of a small ding on the right in the background. The plate has been resealed with a new glass and is housed in half of a case. |
opening bid: $50
current bid: $240
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| Lot
13 |
Vibrant and rare quarter-plate daguerreotype of an identified surgeon, J.R. Hardwick, who graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, March 2, 1855, along with a note signed by Alexander Stephens. While Mr. Hardwick graduated from the North this particular image is identified with a velvet mat stamp for J. W. Miller, Artist, Milledgeville, Georgia. Craig’s Registry doesn’t list a Miller in Milledgeville; however, there was a daguerreian by that name listed in Savannah. Could this possibly be a previous address before moving further south? The image is identified with an official Jefferson Medical College certificate dated and signed by the Dean of the college and Hardwick. There is also an odd flower basket seal in the top left corner of this document. We have also found a listing from the school online which verifies his graduation.
Included is a partial handwritten note which is an endorsement though hard to read. It is signed by Alexander Stephens on the back. We can’t verify the signature but it appears very similar to known examples for the future Vice-President of the Confederate States. We have provided scans of all the pertinent documents. As for the image, Hardwick is certainly a handsome man with style and grace. His expression is serious and while it may be involuntary he seems to gently cradle his hand in his lap. As a surgeon you can sense him protecting his most prized possession. This brilliant image is in excellent condition with outstanding tones and contrast. His face and lips have been lightly tinted and there is a beautiful band of perimeter tarnish present. The plate had an older seal intact and it has been resealed with a new glass. It is housed in a full case with a stunning blue velvet mat on the inside. This is an historical piece with important documents that will enhance your collection! |
opening bid: $1,250
current bid: $
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| Lot
14 |
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Charming yet thought provoking sixth-plate daguerreotype of extremely attractive siblings. Creatively posed in a natural manner you can see that the youngest sister cares deeply about her older brother. With a slight smirk on her face she playfully leans into his body for comfort and support practically ignoring her sister. While we thoroughly enjoy the family dynamic the more curious imagery comes from the brother pointing to the title of his book and the older sister pointing in the direction of her book on the table. Unfortunately we have not been able to decipher the titles so the inside joke remains a mystery. The image is in excellent minus condition with beautiful tones and contrast. There is some light tinting to the children’s’ faces and lips and a small tarnish ring on the perimeter. There is some light spotting in the center portion of their outfits, mostly on the little sister and almost blends with the pattern of her dress so is not a distraction in our opinion. Old seals were intact and we have resealed it with a new glass. It is housed in a full leather case. |
opening bid: $185
current bid: $185
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| Lot
15 |
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Alluring and intriguing sixth-plate daguerreotype of two distinct sisters. On the right we have an extremely formal and stiff young woman tightly dressed in a plain black dress with an unusual high collar. The lace collar is reminiscent of nobility from days past! Her sister, on the other hand, seems quite the temptress, gradually pulling her large sleeve off to the side to show her arm. We have never seen this in a portrait before and she certainly seems to relish the idea of being a provocateur. The look on her face is priceless! Her sister obviously disapproves, with her look of disgust and judgment. The dynamics between these two are rare to see in a family portrait from this time. To add further intrigue the seller provided us with an interesting past history to this piece. When she was 12 she lived in a house at 2043 Berryman Street in Berkeley, CA. She was hiding under the stairs one day and when she leaned back she heard a click and a secret wall opened up. Inside were boxes of silver, photos and old muskets. The owner, Ms. Carol Anne Koch, had no idea this was there and gave this daguerreotype to the young girl as a present. The image is in excellent minus condition with light tinting to the sisters’ faces and gold gilding to the jewelry. The contrast and tones are nice and there is some tarnish and light cloudiness on the top and right perimeter. The plate had old tight seals intact and has now been resealed with a new glass. The image is housed in half of a case. A fascinating piece with research possibilities! | opening bid: $250
current bid: $
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| Lot 16 |
Exceptional sixth-plate daguerreotype of a suave looking man wearing a fabulous white hat. We admire his style and assume he is one of the good guys! The plate has been prepared with an upward bend on the perimeter and this technique is primarily seen in both central and southern areas of the Midwest. The previous owner identified this from the DeMoss-Harding Estate in Belle Meade, Tennessee, and thought it might be George H. Harding, although there is no identification. Tennessee is a little out of the area for this plate technique but quite a few of the Midwest daguerreians who used this technique also established studios in southern regions of the US. One other curious note is a plate stamp that appears to be a script version of Anthony which according to the Rinhart’s this was circa 1850. Judging from the demeanor of the sitter, there is no doubt he has a good deal of self-confidence. This illuminating image is in excellent condition with great tones and contrast. There is some light tinting to the man’s face and a hint of perimeter tarnish. The image had an older seal intact and has since been resealed it with a new glass. It is housed in a full leather case with a little loss by the spine. | opening bid: $150
current bid: $150
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| Lot 17 |
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Very artistic quarter-plate daguerreotype of a mother, father, and son. It has an old identification on the label behind the image that might read Mr. & Mrs. McHenry. The photographer was obviously quite creative in posing this family, using their affection for each other to its maximum potential. The triangle pattern gives us a full view of the mother gazing in a tender and caring manner at her child. While the father stares thoughtfully into space his affection is still quite prominent as he puts his arm gently around his son while tightly clasping his other hand. The child glances in the direction of his father for reference to see if he is posing in the proper manner yet tightly grasps his mother’s arm for extra security. A truly touching late 1840’s image that is in very good plus condition with some extremely subtle tones that creates a beautiful and natural flesh hue to the sitters’ skin. There is a band of perimeter tarnish and some small scattered spots. The plate had old seals tightly intact and has now resealed it with a new glass. It is housed in half of a leather case. | opening bid: $300
current bid: $
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| Lot 18 |
Attractive sixth-plate daguerreotype of a nice looking young man posed holding a small book. The cover seems to have a religious theme with what appears to be an angel possibly blessing a person, suggesting a confirmation book. Whatever the occasion, the lad’s happiness creates a delightful portrait that brings a smile to the viewer’s face. Of note is the interesting style in which is tie is presented with rounded sides -we have never seen this before. The image is in excellent condition with a very pleasing light subtle pink hue to the boy’s white shirt. There is some light tinting to his face. The image had old seals intact and has now been resealed with a new glass. It is housed in a full case. |
opening bid: $55
current bid: $
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| Lot 19 |
Charming quarter-plate Scottish daguerreotype of a happy woman delightfully posed with her hand to her cheek, housed in an oversized case (4 ¼” x 5 ¼”). The image is identified on the back of the case with a gold seal for Ross & Thomson, Photographer to the Queen, Edinburgh. Dressed in a beautiful outfit with wonderful lace sleeves, our sitter seems most enthused about her visit to the studio. Between her and the photographer they have created a very natural and enjoyable portrait. The image has been tinted with nice flesh tones, a red tablecloth, and an odd blue hue on the books. She is sporting an unusual broach which has been tinted gold, as is her long chain and watch key. The plate is in very good condition with a few extremely light buffing lines seen at an angle. It has been resealed in the past and is housed in a full leather case. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. | opening bid: $350
current bid: $850
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| Lot 20 |
Enjoyable quarter-plate daguerreotype of a handsome gentleman who appears quite happy. With a slight grin on his face and judging from his overall expression we might even suggest he has a mischievous streak! His hair is slightly longer and he is sporting a rather cutting edge beard and mustache that lend to his roughish appearance. One interesting note is that his face is covered in freckles. The photographer has tinted his face so on first glance they appear to be covered, but under magnification the freckles are quite visible. This image was purchased from an Illinois auction and was from the Cummings estate in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The image is in very good condition with a nice tonal quality. There are a few light spots and a couple of minor mat marks as seen in the scan. It has been resealed and is housed in a full leather case. | opening bid: $110
current bid: $110
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| Lot 21 |
Entertaining quarter-plate daguerreotype of five sisters, most certainly done by an itinerant or rural daguerreotypist. While we can’t be certain we think a more professional photographer would have noticed the advanced lean to the left while framing the shot! While the young ladies are all fashionably dressed, the two closest in age are wearing almost identically-patterned outfits and appear quite apprehensive about their experience. The oldest has a ring on her finger and is seen with two very nice bracelets. She is obviously close with her sister on the right as she holds her hand. The youngest appears somewhat squeezed out of the frame and is even slightly shielded by the mat. The plate is in very good minus condition with a few scattered spots as seen in the scan. There are also a few small mat marks. It is housed in half of a plain leather case. This image comes from an older collection that we are selling. |
opening bid: $250
current bid: $
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| Lot 22 |
Very nice sixth-plate daguerreotype of a larger gentleman with an interesting beard. Dressed in formal attire, he stares straightforward in typical nineteenth-century fashion. The image is in excellent condition with a very light pleasing pink plate hue on his vest. The image has been resealed with a new glass and is housed in half of a case. . |
opening bid: $45
current bid: $45
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