Sixth Plate

AT HIS AGE? Don’t you think that this wicked serious boy was much too young to require such a radical comb over when he sat for his resealed sixth plate daguerreotype? His maker?s information was printed on a pink paper strip that was placed below the lad. Mr. William Dunckelburg operated in Dansville NY circa 1851-1853. If his little subject was taken in 1851 this would be the latest use of an octagonal brass mat that I have seen in forever! Dunckelburg really wasn?t an accomplished daguerreotypist since he buffed this particular example in both directions. When he finished the piece, he neglected to remove hundreds of dust specks from the left side and they were trapped in the gold chloride layer. The kid?s face was slightly solarized blue too. There is patina, one large mold spider and some brown dots on the reflective silver. My interest remained in the child?s determined expression as he looked directly at me from the comfort of the bottom of his leather case.