A bearded man of middle age occupies the frame of this sixth-plate ambrotype in three-quarter profile, a format well-suited to conveying both bearing and character. The collodion-on-glass process and the style of the leather case place the image firmly in the 1855 to 1865 period. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case or image.

The subject wears a double-breasted frock coat with visible front buttons and a dark waistcoat beneath, a white collar tab at the throat the sole light accent against his dark dress. Wire-rimmed spectacles rest low on his nose, and a full, untrimmed beard frames a steady, composed expression. His right arm rests along the back of a ladder-back chair while his left hand grips its seat rail, anchoring the composition against a plain masonry backdrop.

The leather case is decorated with a blind-stamped panel border on the exterior and opens to a crimson velvet pad worked with a raised floral and foliate pattern opposite the image. The gilt mat is embossed with a continuous foliate scroll, and the preserver retains its original form. The image is a sixth plate.