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 431

Sixth Plate Tintype, Post Mortem, Two Young Children

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

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 young children are depicted in this sixth plate tintype in a post mortem portrait, most likely dating to the 1860s or 1870s. Both subjects appear to be infants or toddlers, posed together in a manner consistent with memorial photography of the period. The image is housed in a leather case with a red velvet interior pad and a gilt embossed brass mat framing the image beneath a shaped preserver.

The larger child at right wears a light-colored dress with a textured bodice featuring what appears to be smocking or decorative stitching, and holds the smaller infant at left, who is similarly dressed in a pale infant gown. Both children's eyes are closed and their heads tilt slightly downward, characteristic of post mortem compositions. A faint striped or draped background is visible behind the figures.

Post mortem photography served as a significant mourning practice throughout the nineteenth century, particularly for infants and young children, and twin or sibling post mortem portraits of this kind are among the rarer survivals in this genre. The image carries notable emotional and historical weight as a document of Victorian memorial custom.

The case is a sixth plate leather case with a hinged cover and red velvet pad opposite the image.

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