EXTREMELY RICH TONES! And the contrast along with deeply reflected depth set the stage for the gent’s really remarkable quarter plate daguerreotype. As you will note ?Barnes? was stamped in the lower left corner of the oval brass mat opposite ?NY? on the right. James T. Barnes was an operator in the city circa 1849-1860. Because of his longevity I will suggest, without further proofs, that he might have been responsible for the fellow?s outstanding likeness. The dramatic light bathed the subject chiefly from the upper right side. His dark eyes were highlighted by the brightness and were focused above and beyond the camera. Those lines on the left are breaks in the patina and not scratches. The remainder of the specks are superfluous. Pale blush was added to the chap?s cheeks. New glass and an archival seal present him perfectly while the portrait has been placed in the bottom of his leather case. The cover has disappeared!
