Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 147

Tintype, Two Women with American Flag and Fan

Estimate: $100 - $200

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 women pose in a studio setting in this tintype, likely dating to the 1880s based on dress silhouette and styling. The standing figure rests her hand on the shoulder of the seated woman, a conventional compositional arrangement of the period. No photographer's imprint is visible.

The standing woman wears a fitted light-colored dress with a heavily pleated bodice, lace cuffs, and a full skirt, and holds a large folded paper fan at her side. The seated woman wears a light polka-dotted dress with a high collar and puffed sleeves, and holds a small American flag with visible stars and stripes across her lap. A painted studio backdrop featuring a tall ornamental column is visible behind the pair.

The presence of the American flag alongside the fan suggests a Fourth of July sitting, a practice common among commercial portrait studios in the late nineteenth century, when patriotic props were made available to clients around the holiday.

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