Sixth Plate

READ THE CARD! ?By Burgess, N.Y.? was neatly printed backwards most likely on that small placard. Nathan Burgess, who I firmly believe was Mathew Brady?s daguerreian instructor and Brady himself, both used that identical vase filled with flowers in several resealed sixth plate daguerreotypes that I have owned. The lad, whose surface has been very badly wiped, sat for Burgess circa 1844 when he was located at 192 Broadway. Brady?s use of that prop began about that time, when he had a gallery at 187 Broadway, and ended circa 1848. Did the two men initially share Burgess?s studio? Nathan was intertwined enough with Mathew in business to have placed his tiny serious subject in one of Brady?s famous Horizontal lyre cases with ?M. B. Brady Case Maker N.Y. embossed within the cover design. The reverse was plain. The subject?s eyes had been tinted but when the silver was scoured, only the base pigment remained, thus creating this ?mad boy? effect! Please see the scan I have provided presenting a very important moment in history no doubt, that was printed on a small piece of paper located underneath the dag.