Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 358

Tintype, Three Unidentified Domestic Workers With Brooms

Estimate: $200 - $300

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

Three unidentified domestic workers are portrayed in this sixth-plate tintype, presented in its original half leather case with an ornate gilt brass mat and red velvet surround. The image likely dates to the 1880s based on the sleeve silhouettes and dress styles visible across all three figures. No photographer's imprint is visible on the piece.

The two standing women wear dark print dresses with white aprons, one holding what appears to be a folded cloth or garment, the other gripping a long-handled broom. The seated central figure wears a dark floral print dress with a white apron draped across her lap and holds a small hearth broom or brush. A cup and small tray are visible on a surface behind her, and a round woven basket or sieve hangs in the background.

The deliberate inclusion of working tools alongside an outdoor or tent-backed studio setting gives this image an occupational quality uncommon in formal portraiture of the period. The trio appear to have posed with intention, presenting their domestic roles as the subject of the photograph rather than concealing them.

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