Sixth Plate

THE TOKEN . . . Was impressed in golden letters on the red spine of the exceptionally crafted and well-kept Japanned mother of pearl case that was mated with an archivally taped sixth plate masterpiece! When I observed the adorable and proper little lad underneath horribly decayed glass I took a deep breath, paid a steep price and couldn’t wait to come back to the barn of dags to see what the magnificent (as it turned out) mirror really would reveal. Pristine condition is certainly an overused and abused word in the dag world. However I can confidently suggestion to the next collector that he or she will agree. Portraits done in daguerreotypes simply can’t arrive 165 years later looking any better then this child has. There is a tiny wipe near that black object on the table that was done the day the likeness was taken, circa 1848. You might ask, what was that shadowy apparition? Someone’s tall top hat! Illumination was always paramount in making dags. While there were many different levels, the daguerreian who sat the tyke in his small wooden chair approached the level of genius when he bathed the boy with window light from high on the right. A large white reflector softened the shadows and created a natural third dimension as the child’s face was perfectly formed and sculpted. Adding to that was excellent preparation of the silver, stupendous contrast and surreal holographic depth. The melodious music of daguerreotype perfection plays harmoniously after the cover is opened and the small subject is admired. Lovely patina creates colors naturally!