Sixth Plate

SOMETHING SPECIAL. I’m certain that all you advanced collectors of daguerreotypes have opened a sixth plate leather case and immediately grew silent as you studied the portrait inside. Well, I have had the luxury of peering upon this precocious child, who I imagine is a little boy, several times. Each instance provides a different level of pleasure. Once it was the child’s coy appearance. Another occurrence allowed me to appreciate the outstanding tinting. A third look granted insight to the overall quality and brilliance of the maker, Rufus Anson, who worked at 589 Broadway in New York City when he made this stellar example of high daguerreian art. When I resealed the resilvered plate I noted on the tape that there were two hallmarks, ANSON and HB (an eagle) 40. While the oval brass mat suffered from filthy contaminated glass, the surface of the boy’s shining likeness remains unscathed except for several very minor imperfections that are seen in the scan. A dark circle of patina is present. Anson’s typical impression is opposite the babe, pressed into a red velvet cushion in the divided cover. If I haven’t been forceful enough yet, PLEASE CONSIDER THE REMARKABLE BOY FOR YOUR PERMANENT COLLECTION!