Quarter Plate

STAR AND ANCHOR TATTOO! Naturally, like you all, Casey and I wondered why that remarkable artwork was drawn on the sailor?s hand after his superbly crafted quarter plate daguerreotype was created? Since Casey removed the original seals before performing archival restoration there is no doubt that the image was placed there at the time the handsome youthful lad was taken, circa 1851-1852. Casey noted on the Filmoplast P-90 that the plate was medium weight and a Beckers plate holder was used during the preparations. A patent for the device was issued October 23 1849. Curiously the unknown daguerreian did not polish the silver perfectly. He did pose and illuminate his subject wonderfully. The seaman placed his arm nonchalantly on that table and cast his gaze away from the camera?s lens. His hat was worn slightly higher then normal to insure that the shadow from the brim would not cover the boy?s deep-set eyes. Afterwards layers of tinting were applied to his blouse and flesh tones. Moisture that formed under the original glass altered the colors over time. As is plainly seen, layers of patina have crept close to the man?s patron on the sides and above while coursing across his marvelous striped trousers. Teeny mold mites are clustered across the top of the dag, which was impossible to scan and accurately reproduce. This likeness explodes out of the leather case that has a detached hinge. The white specks are harmless. We wonder if this might be the earliest American daguerreotype that presented a man with a tattoo? We are aware of the brand on a hand that was daguerreotyped by Southworth & Hawes. I have included a close up scan of this fellow?s hand.