Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 326

Daguerreotype, Unidentified Young Woman

Estimate: $100 - $200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
An unidentified young woman is portrayed in this sixth-plate daguerreotype, presented within a gilt-edged oval mat and housed in an embossed orange thermoplastic union case decorated with a repeating floral and foliate pattern. The image dates stylistically to the late 1840s or early 1850s based on the subject's dress silhouette and the case style, and no photographer's imprint is visible. The plate retains strong detail throughout the central image area with characteristic daguerreian surface iridescence visible toward the lower portion.

The subject wears a light silk or satin bodice with a fitted, boned waist and pronounced vertical pleating at the center front, paired with a multi-strand pearl or bead choker necklace and a floral brooch at the throat. Her right hand, covered in a netted or lace glove adorned with a bracelet, is raised to her cheek in a contemplative pose. Dark hair is center-parted and drawn back tightly, and a small bouquet of flowers rests in her lap near the lower frame edge.

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