Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-24 11:00:00 2026-06-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574
Our June 2026 auction presents a focused and exceptional selection of historical photographs spanning the 1840s through the early twentieth century, with unusual depth in named subjects, rare formats, and documented provenance anchored by strong vernacular material that rewards close looking.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 359

Tintype, Men and Boy with Horses, Outdoor Group Portrait

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 $5,000
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A sixth-plate tintype preserves an outdoor group of four unidentified men and a young boy posed alongside two horses in front of a large wood-frame building. The image is housed in its original thermoplastic union case with an embossed gilt brass mat and red fabric liner, consistent with production spanning the late 1850s through the 1870s. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case or plate.

The young boy stands upright on the back of a dark horse, wearing short trousers, a loose shirt, and a wide-brimmed hat while holding what appears to be a thin whip or switch. A mustachioed man in a dark vest and brimmed hat stands directly beside him, one hand extended toward the boy. A third man in suspenders and work trousers stands atop a wooden crate at center, holding the horse's lead rope, while a fourth figure in a brimmed hat sits to the far right beside a lighter-colored horse. The seated man at lower left rests on a wooden barrel or crate, one arm draped across the horse's neck.

The outdoor setting, working clothes, sturdy footwear, and confident poses with the animals suggest these are working men, possibly farmhands or teamsters, who gathered deliberately for this keepsake portrait. The boy's trick stance atop the horse's back gives the composition an informal showmanship quality rare in group tintypes of this period.

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