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 435

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Post Mortem Portrait of a Child

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 child is depicted in this sixth plate daguerreotype, almost certainly a post mortem portrait made sometime in the 1840s or 1850s. The eyes are closed and the head tilts gently downward, posture and expression together conveying the stillness characteristic of memorial daguerreotypes of this period. No photographer's imprint is visible, and the maker remains unidentified. The image is housed in a leather case with a gilt brass mat and preserver framing a rounded-corner plate.

The child wears a striped dress with a small brooch or pin at the collar, hands folded and resting in the lap in a composed arrangement. Short, light-colored hair falls across the forehead, and the face is turned slightly to one side. A dark curved element, consistent with a chair back or posing support, is visible at the lower right.

Post mortem daguerreotypes served as primary memorial objects for grieving families in the mid-nineteenth century, often representing the only photographic likeness made of a child. The careful arrangement of the hands and dress reflects the deliberate, respectful staging common to the genre during this era.

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