Half plate daguerreotype portrait of a man posed in a formal studio setting, likely dating to the early 1850s based on format, dress, and presentation. The sitter is shown in a direct frontal pose within a gilt brass oval mat, housed in a thermoplastic case with a printed retailer’s label for Littlefield, Parsons & Co. The consignor has suggested a possible identification as James Beckwourth, though this remains unconfirmed and should be considered speculative.

The man wears a dark coat over a waistcoat and white shirt, finished with a large bow tie at the collar. His hair is parted and brushed outward at the sides, and he has a narrow chin beard framing the jawline. He faces the camera with a steady expression, with defined cheekbones, a straight nose, and deep-set eyes. The composition is tightly framed against a plain background, with the oval mat emphasizing the sitter’s head and upper torso.

James Beckwourth (c. 1798 to 1866) was a frontiersman of mixed African American and European ancestry, born into slavery and later freed, who became known as a mountain man, fur trader, and guide in the American West. He is associated with the Rocky Mountain fur trade, the Crow Nation, and the discovery of Beckwourth Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The printed paper label inside the case reads Littlefield, Parsons & Co., Daguerreotype Cases, with patent dates of Oct. 14, 1856 and April 21, 1857, and no photographer’s imprint is visible.