Sold: Cherry-Picked Daguerreotype

Ninth plate Daguerreotype portrait of a young woman / c. 1850s  

Daguerreotype portrait of a curiously bonneted woman, cased ninth plate, c. mid-19th century. The pocket-size daguerreotype retains its original velvet and gold foil lined case, which remains in excellent condition. An unknown sitter, the young woman wears an elaborate bonnet of likely symbolic intent, festooned with flowers, leaves, and, by appearances, bunches of cherries. Her gaze is confident and piercing, and she is strikingly candid and present for a sitter of the period. It was likely her first (and possibly her last) photograph, and her pointed stare seems to challenge the photographer to capture her and her ephemeral summer headdress. The smell of calla lilies in a hot July studio, the coolness of berries on a cheek — as if they could endure the centuries on silver-plated copper.

Condition

Good antique condition overall. Over 150 years old, the delicate image is not perfect and has some marks and dust on the plate, but the portrait retains a strong presence. The case is in very good condition with intact hinge.

Measurements

2.5 inches wide

3 inches tall

Shipping

Free in the continental United States. If an international buyer, please contact me for a shipping estimate by clicking here.