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 603

RPPC, Unidentified Family Portrait With American Flag

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 family of four poses before a large American flag in this real photo postcard, produced on divided-back stock consistent with the 1907 to 1915 era. The father sits centered on a scrollwork wire chair holding an infant dressed in a white christening-style gown, while the mother stands at left wearing a broad-brimmed hat and light cotton blouse. No photographer's imprint appears on the reverse.

The young boy at left wears a buttoned jacket with a wide floppy bow tie and a soft cap, and holds what appears to be a small book or pamphlet at his side. The father wears a flat-brimmed straw boater hat, dark suit, and heavy lace-up boots, with a long necktie visible beneath his jacket lapels. Both adults gaze upward and away from the lens, giving the group an informal, candid quality unusual for studio portraiture of the period.

The painted studio backdrop visible at left and the wooden floor beneath the subjects confirm an indoor studio setting. The deliberate placement of the flag behind the family suggests a patriotic occasion or a studio prop popular in the early twentieth century.

The reverse bears the handwritten notation "11-06 4-DW" in the upper right corner, with no correspondence or address recorded.

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