Quarter Plate

FALLING LEAVES. It must have been autumn when mother and her son were taken. As they were strolling along to have a quarter size daguerreotype taken Mother Nature nudged a miniature maple tree and gently placed several pieces of foliage on the woman’s otherwise rather plain dress. Well, it must have happened like that, don’t you think? The time would have been circa 1846 on a day when the man’s chemistry wasn’t quite perfect. Blue solarization that appeared after he processed the archivally sealed artifact was deftly painted over and made to mostly disappear. The lady wrapped her arm around the boy’s waist and he remained almost stationary except for movement in one hand. His mom displayed a wondered beaded handbag while she too was still. They both watched the daguerreotypist while the exposure was made. Nice tones and richness coupled with deep depth made this a completely acceptable likeness. Their full leather case has a Delicate Roses variant on both covers, along with a nearly pristine plain red silk pad inside. A narrow band of patina mimics the double elliptical mat shape and that vertical line between the pair was part of the dark drop that isolated them inside the brass surround.