HALLOWEEN SURPRISE.

I suspected that the lighter colored fabric behind little miss Jane (“Jane 1852” was carved at the top center on the reverse of her separated leather case) was her mother’s dress. When I first resealed the plate in 1992, the instant I removed the oval brass mat, I saw much more of mom on the lower right side. The unknown daguerreian used the “old hidden parent trick” instead of a head clamp in an attempt to keep the child calm. Mom used her own hands to cup the kid’s head from behind while cooing during the exposure, “Janie darling, if you are good I will buy you a treat.” Well, the efforts of the adults were successful, kinda sorta. I think that the gal blinked and bounced her head somewhat. The rest of her body remained stationary believe it or not. Most difficult to accept though are Jane’s nearly invisible blue eyes. I am also curious about her dirty hands and filthy nail beds. Was she digging in dirt prior to accompanying her parent to the studio? There is something eerie, maybe even sinister in her sixth plate. After all, I did purchase the dag on October 31!!!!!!! The contrast is simply smashing! The depth is so splendid that you will swear the image is actually a hologram!! The white specks are on the surface but do not inhibit the girl’s unusual personality from pouring forth away from the surrounding oval. If you have a very strong disposition, and you are the next owner, take the likeness near a solitary lit candle in an otherwise darkened space to view her. If the wind is blowing and a wolf is howling . . . prepare yourself for a spiritual visit from Miss Jane! Hazy light brown oxidation and a couple faint brass scrapes can be seen.