Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 409

Ninth Plate Daguerreotype, Portrait of an Unidentified Woman

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 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A young woman sits as the subject of this ninth plate daguerreotype, a painted example dating to the early-to-mid 1840s based on the broad off-the-shoulder neckline and the style of the leather case. The image has been hand-applied with pigment, giving the face a warm, fleshed tone that distinguishes it from standard silver-surface daguerreotypes of the period. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case or mat.

The subject's dark hair is center-parted and drawn smoothly back over the ears in a style characteristic of the early daguerreian era. Her wide-set eyes meet the viewer directly beneath a broad, pale forehead, and her expression is composed and level. She wears a wide-necked dress with a delicate scalloped or lace-trimmed collar sitting just above the bust, and a blue shawl or wrap is visible draped over her left shoulder.

The leather case is notable in its own right. The front cover is dark pebbled leather with a gilt-tooled floral and vine cartouche at center, and the back cover bears an additional applied decorative panel featuring mother-of-pearl flower petals set against a black ground with gold-painted foliage. The interior mat is gilt, and the pad is red velvet with an embossed rose motif.

No photographer's imprint is present, and no inscription appears on the case interior or reverse.

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