Sixth Plate

BLACK & WHITE AGAINST DARKNESS. Ask me and you will receive a fine sixth plate daguerreotype advertised the maker on a billhead outside his establishment. Well, the gentleman dressed in his best vest and suit jacket, offset in contrast by that brilliant white shirt, ambled down to the salon to see if the operator was as good as his pronouncement. Having been tricked previously, the subject was wary of snake oiled daguerreians. I should mention that our intrepid subject also slicked his hair with pomade and carefully combed each strand to perfection. Once the exposure had been done, the silver developed in mercury vapors, fixed for permanence, rinsed and dried, the clever practitioner then used subtle layers of pigments to create this classic bust portrait. There are obvious mat scrapes along the bottom and a slender oval of oxidation inside the brass mat. The reflected depth is awesome! The complete leather case has a plain red silk pad inside. Since I retain the image, the patron had obviously been pleased.