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 452

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Young Man, Nimmo and Co, Baltimore

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 man seated at a draped table anchors this sixth plate daguerreotype, produced by Thomas J. Nimmo and Co. of Baltimore, active at 159 Baltimore Street during 1855 and 1856. Nimmo was regarded as a first-class daguerreian operator who later served as an agent for Whitehurst's Washington gallery and went on to practice photography in multiple cities across the mid-Atlantic and South. The image is housed in a leather case with an embossed floral and scroll medallion design on the exterior cover.

The subject wears a dark frock coat over a matching waistcoat, a white shirt with a wide placket, and a loosely knotted bow tie at the collar. Both hands rest on the surface of a marble-topped or fabric-covered table, and a gilt-edged book lies beneath his right hand. His dark hair is swept to one side and he carries a faint mustache, his expression direct and composed.

Nimmo's imprint is stamped into the gilt mat at the lower right corner and reads "Nimmo & Co.," consistent with his Baltimore Street listing. The interior mat is gilt with an embossed foliate border, and the pad is covered in rose-toned velvet.

Property of a Palmer, Massachusetts gentleman.

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