Sixth Plate

WAS IT COLD . . . In the studio when she sat for her cutesy retaped sixth plate likeness? I wondered, since she was wearing a pair of gloves! Naturally, the tiny gal’s mother might have thought that her daughter might appear more sophisticated and mature while she wore the cotton covers. The child’s plate was trimmed by a daguerreotypist. When I purchased this presentation, the seals had disappeared and the surface had previously been scratched inside the oval mat. Many mold spiders also cover the silver that has naturally oxidized into a rainbow of patina. The white thread on that dark frilly top was covered with gold chloride. As you might have noticed, the kid’s eyes plus her checkered dress were hand colored blue. The bottom of a leather case contains the likeness.