ALMOST THERE!

The gentleman was taken close up by a daguerreian who obviously had made previous portraits on sixth plates that now has a new archival seal. However, his buffing technique still needed fine tuning since the initial circular polishing didn’t completely disappear when the surface was finished horizontally nor did several of those lines across the man’s chest. Remarkable contrast and reflected depth are evident in this example considering that the fellow was seated in front of the unique (to me) painted background in the last quarter of 1843 into the first half of 1844. I don’t know why that darkened area appeared next to the sitter’s head. A portion of the scene maybe? Definitely not part of the chemistry nor a later blemish. The “E. White Maker N. Y. Second Quality” hallmark on the heavy plate with medium clipped corners and flat sides is quite rare. The subject appeared to be a genial fellow. He is kept in a complete leather case with a horizontal lyre motif (a precursor to the classic design that Mathew Brady used) beginning a year later. The reverse was plain with four beveled sides. Gut tape was used to make the original seal.