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 465

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Family Portrait, Weeks, Indianapolis

Estimate: $200 - $300
Starting Bid
$100

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 family of three occupies this sixth plate daguerreotype produced by William H. Weeks, who operated studios in both Cincinnati and Indianapolis between approximately 1850 and 1856. The photographer's imprint is stamped into the gilt mat, with "INDIANAPOLIS" legible on the lower right corner of the frame, placing this image at his Indiana operation. The leather case bears an elaborately embossed cover with a central floral medallion surrounded by crosshatch and scrollwork patterning, with gilt-edged borders framing the composition.

The man at left wears a dark frock coat with a white shirt and loosely knotted cravat, his dark hair swept back from a composed, direct gaze. The woman at right is dressed in a dark silk bodice with fitted sleeves and a white collar, her hair center-parted and pulled smoothly back. Between them sits a young child wearing a checked gingham dress with ruffled collar and sleeves, supported by both parents' hands.

William H. Weeks (1824–1886) is documented as a daguerreian active in Cincinnati, where he appeared in the 1855 city directory at 32 West Fourth Street in partnership with C. Hunt, and in Indianapolis, making him a documented practitioner of the early studio era in the Ohio and Indiana markets. The mat imprint reading "INDIANAPOLIS" firmly attributes this portrait to his Indiana gallery.

The photographer's name is partially legible stamped into the lower left of the gilt mat, reading "H. W. WEEKS," with "INDIANAPOLIS" stamped into the lower right border of the same mat.

Property of a Palmer, Massachusetts gentleman.

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