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 472

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Grandpa Baker, by C.H. Williamson

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
Grandpa Baker, identified by a family inscription on the case interior, is the subject of this sixth plate daguerreotype produced by Charles H. Williamson, one of Brooklyn's most accomplished daguerreians, who operated at 249 Fulton Street from 1852 through the late 1850s. The portrait dates most plausibly to that Fulton Street period, placing it between 1852 and 1860. Williamson's imprint is legible in the lower corner of the gilt mat.

Baker is depicted in a three-quarter seated pose, wearing a dark frock coat over a matching waistcoat, a white shirt with a spread collar, and a large black bow tie. His auburn hair is swept back from a strong, square face, and he wears a short chin beard with no mustache. His right arm rests on his knee, his direct gaze carrying a composed, steady authority.

Charles H. Williamson (1826-1874) trained under noted daguerreians including Martin Lawrence, Philip Haas, and Otis H. Cooley before establishing his Brooklyn gallery, where he exhibited work at the New York Crystal Palace in 1853 and advertised electric-light and cameo daguerreotypes. The case interior carries a red-bordered paper label inscribed "Mother's Father / Grandpa Baker" in period cursive script, and the Williamson studio imprint appears embossed into the lower left of the gilt mat.

Property of a Palmer, Massachusetts gentleman.

Available payment options

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Amex
  • Diners
  • Discover
  • JCB
  • Union Pay
PayPal

All SHIPPING of photographs with total purchases above $500 is FREE, buyers to pay insurance at $2 per $100.