Quarter plate daguerreotype depicting a horse harnessed to a sleigh in a snow-covered setting, with a bundled figure seated in the sleigh. The scene is photographed outdoors, likely in front of a building with horizontal siding visible in the background. The horse is shown in full profile, carefully harnessed, while the sleigh rests on metal runners atop packed snow. The image is a daguerreotype on a silvered copper plate, consistent with mid-19th-century outdoor photography, where long exposure times and winter light required careful control.

Outdoor daguerreotypes such as this are less common than studio portraits due to the technical difficulty of transporting equipment and managing exposure conditions. Winter scenes with sleighs and working horses reflect everyday transportation practices of the period and suggest a deliberate effort to document seasonal life rather than a purely formal portrait.

The daguerreotype is housed in a period hinged leather case with a gilt brass mat featuring a scalloped opening and red velvet liner. The exterior case is embossed with a decorative central motif. No photographer’s imprint, label, or handwritten identification is visible.