HIS BIBLE? While it is improbable that any collector could be absolutely certain that the large open tome on the table was the gent’s family Bible, I feel certain that the percentages were high! The focus the daguerreian obtained when he created the man?s sixth plate was outstanding. However, it wasn’t til after I made a new archival seal and saw the scanned reproduction of the portrait that I noticed the condition of the fellow’s eyes. One was totally void of reflectance and the other orb was rolled up underneath the eyelid. That heavy woolen vest and double-breasted pea jacket both suggest that the subject might have been familiar with ocean ports of call. Look at those massive rough hands and his sun burned face. The dude wasn?t a banker! That?s for sure. There are mat marks upper left. The silver was quickly re-cleaned to reveal extraordinarily rich tonality and exceptional reflected depth. The excellent intact leather case has a Delicate Roses theme circa 1845. Inside is a royal blue pad embossed with a single maple leaf.
