Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-24 11:00:00 2026-06-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574
Our June 2026 auction presents a focused and exceptional selection of historical photographs spanning the 1840s through the early twentieth century, with unusual depth in named subjects, rare formats, and documented provenance anchored by strong vernacular material that rewards close looking.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 327

Daguerreotype, Three Unidentified Children

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $5,000
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
Three unidentified children are portrayed together in this sixth plate daguerreotype, housed in its original gilt-embossed mat with an ornate cartouche surround and orange paper-covered case. The seller's notes describe this as a sixth plate, though the image and case are consistent with a quarter-plate format. No photographer's imprint is visible on the reverse, which shows only the copper-toned backing plate secured by original corner tabs.

The two older girls wear matching dark dresses with white lace-trimmed undersleeves and small brooches at their collars, their hair worn long and loose to the shoulders. The youngest child, positioned at right, wears a light-colored short dress with dark banding at the hem and waist. The center child is seated with hands folded in her lap while the other two stand or lean at either side.

Applied tinting is visible on the cheeks of all three subjects, a common enhancement practice in American daguerreotype portraiture of the 1850s. The arrangement of three children in a single frame and the quality of the applied mat suggest a commissioned family portrait rather than a commercial or novelty sitting.

The reverse bears no inscriptions or studio markings, and the paper backing shows age-related wear consistent with mid-nineteenth-century case construction.

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