Sixth Plate

NATURALLY! Who else but the magnificent makers in Boston could possibly have conjured up the gorgeous sixth plate, which is archivally sealed, showing a lovely, doting mother holding her plump child? Okay, there were other operators across our great country that got lucky on occasion. No one other city’s makers were so capable of consistently filling a resilvered plate with such aplomb! (I know the Williamson brothers in Brooklyn were also masters of the parent with a child arrangement too). Mother, who is wearing an extremely fashionable ensemble from the late 1850s held her little girl, clothed in a Christening Dress, close to her body. I wonder who was standing on the right side of the camera, catching the attention of both subjects? Absolutely stunning illumination bathed both of them. A crisply focused lens allows us to see every detail in their faces and attire. Subtle shades of rouge were applied to their cheeks. The magnificent aging process has created bright blue patina, with an odd spot on the right side. A few mat scrapes along the bottom are mostly hidden in those hues. The portrait exhibits an astounding range of mid-tones, all cast in a rich chocolate shade. The sensational parent with her offspring likeness is an exceptional effort. They are nestled together in a black leather Boston style push button case that has a velvet, unadorned burgundy pad opposite the pair.