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 408

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Two Girls, One with Doll

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
Two unidentified girls are the subjects of this sixth plate daguerreotype, housed in a leather case with an embossed floral and scrollwork exterior and a red silk-padded interior opposite. The image is framed by a gilt mat with a decorative rope-pattern border and presents a sharp, well-exposed composition consistent with American studio portraiture of the 1850s. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case or mat.

The older girl sits on the left wearing a patterned dress with a fringed cape collar and three-quarter sleeves, her dark hair worn in long braided plaits falling over both shoulders; a bracelet is visible on her left wrist, and her right hand rests atop a small book in her lap. The younger girl at right wears a floral print dress with a sash at the waist and holds a cloth doll dressed in white against her lap, her hair falling in loose ringlet curls.

The inclusion of a personal toy in a formal portrait is relatively uncommon and suggests the doll held particular significance, possibly chosen by the family to identify or individualize the younger subject for the sitting. Both girls are seated in matching spindle-back chairs against a plain dark studio backdrop.

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