Uncommon sixth plate ambrotype depicting a dental extraction in progress. A dentist—sleeves rolled up and grasping a pair of forceps—leans over his seated patient, who grimaces in mid-yank, mouth open and eyes squeezed shut. The dentist’s face is sharply focused, with intense expression and thick side-parted hair, while the patient’s tense posture and clenched fists add an almost cinematic urgency to the scene.

The ambrotype is exceptionally well composed, capturing the moment of action with clarity and emotional intensity. These occupational images of early medical or dental procedures are rare, and even more so when depicting the profession mid-action. The subject is shown using realistic instruments of the period, including a visible set of dental pliers. The patient clutches a cloth, possibly to bite down on or to brace himself.

Housed in a full, leather-covered case with raised floral and bird decoration, showing moderate edge wear. The image is held behind a fine original mat and preserver, with minor scattered emulsion losses (mostly in the background) that do not distract from the striking content.

An outstanding occupational ambrotype, visually strong and graphically representing the rigors of 19th-century dentistry—a subject seldom encountered in any cased image format.