Sixth Plate

A RIBBON OF RED! I was surprised when I removed the gal’s newly restored sixth plate from the complete leather case the first time. A previous owner had attached fabric to the center of the brass preserver in order to make a hanging display of the portrait. The healthy lass with her penetrating brown eyes sat rather relaxed with her fingers caressing her cheek. She watched the daguerreotypist closely as he made his final focus and encouraged his teenaged patron to remain perfectly still while his ?instantaneous? exposure of 3-6 seconds was transferring her life onto his well-polished receptacle. As added embellishment, the man tinted the tablecloth blue and delicately painted pink highlights on her cheeks and lips! The multi-scalloped brass mat had been badly miss-aligned by a previous person and consequently there are very visible abrasions!