Four Sixth Plates, Framed

MADE FOR EACH OTHER. At the beginning of 2014 I purchased a lot of dags, ambros, tins and a cdv album with most all of the people being related. Then when I was on the hunt for dags at a local antique shop last week I found this incredible folk art daguerreotype frame that had four empty (RATS I thought) compartments for sixth sized images. I had never seen such an interesting presentation measuring 11 x 11 3/4 inches. Set into a beveled wooden support inside the outer edges of the frame were four pieces of painted/smoked glass cut at 45-degree angles at their corners. Over time, a small piece of glass was broken and has subsequently disappeared in the upper right corner. There was also a divot out of the wood on the outside edge in the lower right corner. The frame retains the original patina. The four small wooden pieces that would have anchored the daguerreotypes in place on the back are also missing. I decided to place four of the family members that were identified into the frame after they had been conserved. These are their identities written separately on four slips of paper that I enclosed in clear archival sleeves on the reverse of each portrait. Beginning with the gent: ?John C. Davis (grandfather)?; ?Charlie Davis son of Mary Ann & J.C. Davis?; ?Mary Ann Davis (grandmother)? (no mention of the baby which was odd); and ?Mary Amelia Davis Cora E. Davis mother and aunt Cora?. The likeness of Mary Ann with her babe was cleaned previously and wiped on the silver. It has also re-tarnished as seen in my reproduction. There are small specks on the male images and oxidation across Charlie?s feet. Doesn?t he appear to have been ready to leap out of the chair? His surface was nicely tinted and has good deep depth. The adorable sisters have mat abrasions on the left side and flowing patina. I believe the spot on the older gal?s cheek developed over time from the tinting process. Both examples of the kids are wonderful.