Nice sixth-plate daguerreotype that exhibits all the characterizations of being taken by an itinerant photographer. First we notice a very simple backdrop, highlighted by the visible folds, creases and textures of the material. The pose of the two sisters is very straightforward with each holding the customary book. The mat, which is slightly more creative, provides a folk art presentation in that the cuts are somewhat crudely done in places. As for the subjects, the older sister is showing signs of establishing her own identity and tries to give us a soft smile. The younger girl still has that tomboy attitude and appears to have a small cleft on her upper lip. Light hand tinting has been applied to their faces and lips. A ring of tarnish is seen along the perimeter with an extremely light haze which is evident more at the borders. A light scratch extends on the right side of the mat to the older sisters hand, which was quite possibly done by the photographer as this plate had 19th century seals tightly in place when purchased. We have now resealed the image with new glass. It is housed in a case with different halves, but the gilded border on the inside matches. The front is design is Jenny Lind 2 (Berg 4-52) and the back is Birds on a Branch (Berg 5-36). The hinge has been repaired and there is a lot of wear and some leather loss especially on the back.

$120