Sixth Plate

POISED AND CONFIDENT! The boldness of the woman’s pose must have been electrifying to every one of her friends who had the opportunity to open a nice thermoplastic case with a Church window on the cover and a geometric design on the reverse. The women would have silently applauded her overt forwardness while any males might have wondered who she thought she was to have such a bold artistic arrangement for the daguerreotypist to transfer onto a sixth size piece of silver clad to copper. I don’t see any wedding band on Ms. subject’s finger. Those golden rings were probably tokens of friendship. Her maker embellished all of that jewelry with an expert hand using a very delicate touch. Broad light bathed the beauty from the right side and the dag man wasn’t concerned that his large reflector was visible on the right. Who was this prominent woman? I will probably find out after one of you makes a purchase. There was a dynamic quality rarely displayed by mid-19th century ladies that is quite impressive even in today’s liberated society. I mean really, seating a cultured lass sideways on a small chair just wasn’t attempted in proper society! The harsh buff strokes seen in the scan aren’t really as obvious. A couple dots and mat scrapes plus faint oxidation are hardly noticed.