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 423

Tintype, Two Men Drinking with Rifle, CDV Size

Estimate: $50 - $100
Starting Bid
$25

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 men occupy the center of this CDV-size tintype, seated casually at a small studio table in a relaxed, working-class pose that gives the image a decidedly vernacular character. Both wear suspenders, work trousers, and caps, and the informal arrangement suggests a deliberate tableau rather than a conventional portrait sitting. No photographer's imprint is visible, and the floral painted backdrop and decorative prop table place the image stylistically in the 1880s to 1890s.

The man on the left sits with one leg crossed, a cigarette at his lip, his left hand resting on the barrel of a long rifle propped against the table edge. The man on the right, wearing a low-crowned felt hat and a full mustache, grips what appears to be a ceramic mug or cup in both hands, with additional vessels visible on the tabletop. A wide-brimmed hat rests on the floor between them, and a painted palm and floral backdrop fills the background behind the right figure.

The inclusion of a firearm as a casual studio prop alongside drinking vessels is a recurring convention in working-class vernacular tintype portraiture of the period, used to project masculine identity and camaraderie rather than to document any specific occupation or event. The relaxed posture of both sitters reinforces this reading.

The tintype measures CDV size, unmounted and uncased, with no reverse markings noted.

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