Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Fall Photographic History Auction, 2025

Sat, Sep 6, 2025 01:00PM EDT
  2025-09-06 13:00:00 2025-09-06 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : Fall Photographic History Auction, 2025 https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/fall-photographic-history-auction-2025-20189
We are pleased to announce our next auction, featuring approximately 200 individual lots drawn from a diverse and compelling range of 19th- and early 20th-century photography. This sale focuses on vernacular images, photographs created not as formal studio portraits or elite commissions, but as direct, unscripted records of lived experience. These are objects made by and for everyday people, preserving moments of intimacy, labor, travel, performance, identity, and loss.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 205

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype of Sisters with Heads Touching

Estimate: $300 - $500
Starting Bid
$150

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$200 $20
$320 $30
$380 $20
$420 $30
$480 $20
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$3,200 $300
$3,800 $200
$4,200 $300
$4,800 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$32,000 $3,000
$38,000 $2,000
$42,000 $3,000
$48,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
$200,000 $20,000
$320,000 $30,000
$380,000 $20,000
$420,000 $30,000
$480,000 $20,000
$500,000 $50,000
Two young women, likely sisters, lean closely together in this compelling sixth plate daguerreotype, their heads gently touching in a pose that suggests both affection and emotional depth. Their near-identical garments and center-parted hairstyles evoke the intimacy of sibling or twinhood, yet subtle distinctions in their facial structure and expressions convey individuality within a shared bond.

The photographer has composed the image with balance and care, capturing the symmetry of the sitters’ dark dresses and the striking geometry of the brass mat, which emphasizes their connection. A sense of serene gravity pervades the portrait, enhanced by the clarity of the plate and the direct, unflinching gazes of the women. The daguerreotype is housed in a floral-embossed leather case, complete with a well-preserved rose-colored velvet pad and floral motif.

Available payment options

PayPal

Spend $500 or more at our auction and all of your SHIPPING IS FREE, buyers to pay insurance if they want it.