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 473

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Man, by Fuller and Co, Hartford CT

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 seated man fills this sixth plate daguerreotype with commanding presence, the image produced by Lorenzo Francis Fuller operating as Fuller and Co. in Hartford, Connecticut, active at various addresses on Main Street from 1846 through the mid-1850s. The plate carries a gilt brass mat with a blue-tinted inner border and a distinctively shaped cartouche opening, all housed in a leather case with deeply embossed floral and foliate decoration on the exterior covers. The interior lid is lined with amber velvet bearing a raised scrollwork pattern, consistent with case styles of the late 1840s to early 1850s.

The subject sits three-quarter length with his hands clasped loosely in front of him, wearing a dark frock coat over a waistcoat with a white shirt and loosely knotted cravat. His dark hair curls past his ears, and a neatly trimmed chin beard gives his direct, steady gaze an air of self-possession. The plate resolves fine fabric texture in both the coat and shirt, and the subject's hands are rendered with unusual clarity for the format.

Fuller and Co. was a documented and prize-winning Hartford daguerreian studio, the firm taking second prize for daguerreotypes at the Hartford County Agricultural Fair in October 1848. Fuller's gallery operated at the corner of Main and Asylum Streets during his most active period, and the quality of this plate is consistent with work from that peak era. The mat imprint visible at the lower edge of the frame reads "FULLER & Co."

Property of a Palmer, Massachusetts gentleman.

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