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 401

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype, Young Woman, Rare Thermoplastic Case

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
An unidentified young woman stands in three-quarter length view in this sixth plate daguerreotype, likely dating to the early-to-mid 1850s based on the dress silhouette and case construction. She wears a light-colored pleated day dress with double-layered short oversleeves over long fitted sleeves, a high white collar, and a small floral brooch at the throat. The photographer has posed her before a painted studio backdrop featuring a classical fluted column, a prop common to mid-century American daguerreotype studios.

Her dark hair is parted at center and drawn smoothly back, and her expression is composed and direct. She wears dark net or lace mitts on both hands, and her right arm rests at her side while her left hand rests near the column base, index finger slightly extended. A hand-applied gold mat with an oval opening frames the image within the case.

The dress construction, particularly the tightly pleated bodice and full gathered skirt ending above a visible dark hem trim, reflects fashionable American women's dress of approximately 1850 to 1857, consistent with the daguerreotype era before the widespread adoption of the carte de visite.

The case is a rare early hybrid construction with a thermoplastic front cover molded in a floral and foliate relief pattern and a leather back, with a crimson silk-padded interior. No photographer's imprint is visible.

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