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 562

Stereoview, United States Mint Philadelphia, Moran & Story

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
The United States Mint in Philadelphia anchors this albumen stereoview, photographed by John Moran & John Story as number 207 in their series "Public Buildings In and Around Philadelphia." The building's grand Greek Revival facade is rendered with precision, its full-height Ionic colonnade and classical pediment commanding the frame from a slightly elevated street-level vantage. The image dates to the 1860s or early 1870s, consistent with the firm's active period in Philadelphia.

Three figures animate the foreground: a man in a tall top hat and dark frock coat stands near iron bollards at the curb, while a woman in a full hooped skirt and a second figure descend the broad entrance steps behind a low iron fence. Bare-branched young trees line the sidewalk, and ornate gas lamp standards flank the building's entrance on either side.

The Philadelphia Mint depicted here is the second facility built for the institution, completed in 1833 at Chestnut Street to a design by William Strickland, and it served as the nation's primary coinage facility until 1901. Moran & Story's architectural series documented the civic fabric of Philadelphia during the post-Civil War era.

The reverse label reads: "No. 207 / Public Buildings In and Around Philadelphia / Photographed by Moran & Story, Philadelphia / United States Mint." The number "184" is inscribed in purple ink on the left edge of the mount recto.

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