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| EEW-203. BECAUSE THEY WERE . . . Kept together, I can faithfully record that Agnes and Richard Walsh were taken circa 1848-1849 in a professional daguerreotypist's operating room. The unknown man made an exceptional half plate with perfect tonality and awesome contrast that, coupled with perfect polishing, created remarkably deep reflected depth. Those three mold spiders are about the only visual hindrance! The specks and flecks are unimportant. Neither he nor she looked directly into the lens. Ms. Walsh was prepared to burst into a smile while her husband felt a lightening of his wallet while the lens was uncapped. Tinting on their flesh is so much better than I have reproduced. Written on a scrap of paper with their formal likeness was: "Eliza Lipper Walsh?". However, underneath the second dag, a slick quarter plate that like it's companion has new archival seals, is a second slip with this penciled inscription: "Agnes Greer Walsh (Mrs. Richard Walsh) and youngest son Robert George Walsh". Unless my eyes are deceiving me, the woman in both images is Agnes, aged somewhat about 10 years after the earlier piece was taken. This time, she was definitely not as comfortable and even moved her hand that was placed below her breasts. The boy, whose face was heavily freckled, watched the daguerreian and had a pleasant expression on his lips. This example is even more holographic than the companion dag. My guess is the silver was previously cleaned and that most of the discoloration and weird spots are retarnish. The blue line on the lad's trousers is not rubs or scratches. Even looking with a loupe I'm uncertain of their origin. Both plates had an extra layer of silver and they are held in fine complete leather cases. $750 for the pair |
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