A ninth-plate ambrotype of an unidentified infant, almost certainly produced as a memorial object following the child's death, is housed in a round clamshell velvet case bearing the word "Mizpah" embossed in gilt Gothic lettering on the cream interior pad. Derived from the Hebrew word for watchtower and the biblical passage Genesis 31:49, Mizpah expressed a watchful bond between those separated by distance or death, and its placement on an infant's portrait case is a strong indicator of mourning use. The ambrotype process was patented in 1854, making this one of the earliest known survivals of the format, and the appearance of the Mizpah sentiment here predates its widespread Victorian popularity by two decades.

The case exterior is covered in plain purple velvet and closes with a brass pin clasp. The image is set behind a gilt brass oval mat edged with a white beaded border and protected by a cover glass. The infant is shown seated upright in a white gown, hands loosely at the sides, with a wide-eyed expression directed at the camera. A partially visible adult hand and forearm appear at the lower right, the classic indicator of a hidden-mother composition in which a caretaker holds the child while concealed from the image. No photographer's imprint is visible.