Sixth Plate

SO IMPRESSIVE! This wicked handsome young fellow represents a most exciting vision of the tremendous strides that were made from the last months of 1839 up to the creation of his CORDUAN & Co NY sixth plate taken in late 1843. The advances in the art of daguerreotypy, in just over three years, must have astounded not only the pioneers who experimented with every possible combination of chemistry, plate preparation and equipment, but even more so, the general public who purchased their results. The likeness is spectacular in every aspect of the refined art. The plate was doubled silvered which meant that the daguerreotypist used a pure form of silver and a Smee’s or Grove’s galvanic battery to add a thin layer of silver on the original clad surface. Consequently the copper on the back was also coated since the entire piece was electroplated. The debonair gent is surrounded by glowing blue patina! His image almost effervesces off the explosive sheen on the surface. It was a brilliant technical achievement with superlative use of several pigments that added to the realism and life-like quality of the subject. The oval brass mat was stamped with a classic very early design showing Oak Leaves and Acorns. John Plumbe selected a variant of this mat to initially announce his patent for coloring daguerreotypes. ?Plumbe?s Patent Oct. 22 1842? was stamped across the bottom of his mats. This masterpiece should not be associated with Plumbe. In fact, I really wish I knew the daguerreian genius who was responsible for the work of art on a mirror! The complete leather case seemed original when the conservation was done.