Quarter Plate

WELL MADE TRIO. Someone who operated a daguerreotype camera in a progressive studio posed these youthful friends across the width of their resealed quarter plate that was over matted to a slight larger size and placed the finished portrait into a fine leather case that now has a broken spine. The daguerreian used a tiny piece of printed paper denoting the year they were taken and attached it to the brass mat underneath the glass, that was replaced. A weird swath of tarnish left a pattern across the bottom. The lass who stood has some oxidation on her forehead. Red blush was applied to each face and gold accentuated their jewelry.