Sixth Plate

“ALLAN BATTEY . . . Emma Aldrich’s grandfather” . . . is what I conclusively know about the fiery eyed portly gent who might have stood for his sixth plate placing his splayed fingers part way into a dark button vest. His shock of white mane flew away from the back of his head while the lens was uncovered and the newly sealed surface was exposed. There are mat marks and some faint black spots on the surface that had surprisingly strong depth. Doesn’t Battey absolutely “fill the frame”? The daguerreotypist accentuated his bulk because the camera was placed lower than normal. Lots of oxidation surrounds the subject whose cheeks received splashes of red, along with his lips. Almost invisible brown dots are on his face and hands. Don’t you want to go back in time and watch this guy being taken? A leather case with “Pretlove”, the diesinker, is stamped lower left in the design.