IF I WAS A SAILOR…..

…this is how I’d dress for my daguerreotype!  Of course, that’s what this kid was thinking when his parents called him what he’d like to wear for his sixth plate portrait. The image has been resealed with masking tape. I would recommend replacing it to get a tighter seal. That said, there is not a lot of dust under the glass. The amount of varying black tones in this plate is quite astounding.  Whoever the maker was, they knew how to make a great daguerreotype!  From the casual yet serious posing to the minute details of his attire, it’s been a while since I have seen such a strong child’s image from the 1846/47 time period of dags. Post 1844 and pre 1850 were when great strong posing and simplicity made for one of my favorite dag eras. I’m really glad that he was able to keep the hat on, as we see so many dags of kids and adults alike holding huge hats, instead of wearing them! It’s tough to tell how big if any brim is on this particular hat. Perhaps that’s why he was able to wear it without putting a shadow on his face? That is always the daguerreotypist’s dilemma when shooting people with hats or even women in bonnets. A near perfect contrast due to great sensitizing as well as overall plate prep contributed to the brilliance of this dag. I must mention though that there is some surface tarnish at the edges. The case is whole with a slightly worn spine.