Sixth Plate

CLOSE! These two women must have provided the daguerreotypist with the ultimate challenge, when they insisted on this friendly pose. He had to consider how to situate the woman on the right so that she would be comfortable enough and relaxed during the exposure and still not move. In that regard, he was 100% successful! Obviously her companion, a dark eyed beauty, also remained motionless. She was a tall lass with a bouffant hairstyle that accentuated her angular face. The lady?s long arm reached behind the gal and a hand was placed on her shoulder. Their pose was unusual for the daguerreian era. Although the silver had been previously cleaned, the likeness has astounding deep depth and outstanding tonality. They were illuminated by brightness from directly overhead. Those patterns on their silk scarves were prominently visible. Mold mites and a myriad of white dots create a mosaic on the sixth sized resealed silver surface. The relationship between the subjects will forever remain unknown but fortunately their brilliantly rendered daguerreotype has survived in a poorly repaired leather case. ?E. White? was imprinted on the design of a single masted sailing vessel that is on both covers.