Sixth Plate

COMPASSION CONCERN CONTEMPT! My first thought was that the married woman in the center, she with the swollen fingers and possible extended belly might have been pregnant. An expression of apprehension would have been very natural don?t you think? As for the girl on the right, who was so flummoxed, she posed with her supple wrist almost bent backwards and thrust her elbow out so demonstrably that most of it and her arm were hidden by the double elliptical brass mat! She even moved her head but never wavered in her hard stare into the lens. Then we study the angel of the trio, her figure turned in profile to the camera. This miss rested both hands, partially cloaked with lacey mitts, on her companion?s shoulder. She tilted her head towards the daguerreotypist and gazed wistfully past her youthful companions. Cloth rosettes gathered her ringlets just above each ear but still they fell across the velvet fabric of her blouse. Each subject?s face received pale red pigments on their cheeks and lips. I believe that the archivally taped sixth plate portrait was taken by a highly skilled operator who had placed a reversing prism on the front of his brass tube before making the exposure. The lovely lass on the left and the female in the center both have singular brown dots on their complexions. The threesome is surrounded by patina and a few spots on the periphery. A rare intact pressed paper case, circa 1850, when this marvelous mirror was made, has a raised oval design on both covers. In each corner a fanciful leafy theme was embossed with gold and over painted with green. The pale background was contrasted against the fascinating costumes worn by each patron. There is magnificent depth too.