Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Fall Photographic History Auction, 2025

Sat, Sep 6, 2025 01:00PM EDT
  2025-09-06 13:00:00 2025-09-06 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : Fall Photographic History Auction, 2025 https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/fall-photographic-history-auction-2025-20189
We are pleased to announce our next auction, featuring approximately 200 individual lots drawn from a diverse and compelling range of 19th- and early 20th-century photography. This sale focuses on vernacular images, photographs created not as formal studio portraits or elite commissions, but as direct, unscripted records of lived experience. These are objects made by and for everyday people, preserving moments of intimacy, labor, travel, performance, identity, and loss.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 203

Vignetted Sixth Plate Daguerreotype of a Child Floating in White

Estimate: $200 - $300
Starting Bid
$100

Bid Increments

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A sixth plate daguerreotype captures a hauntingly luminous portrait of a young child posed against a buttoned-upholstery chair, rendered in a striking vignette that visually isolates the sitter. The effect, likely achieved through a combination of soft focus, studio lighting, and overexposure, causes the figure to appear as though suspended or "floating" within the frame. The edges gradually dissolve into whiteness, intensifying the ethereal mood and reducing any visual distractions from the background or clothing.

Such vignetting techniques were used sparingly in daguerreotypy and may reflect an advanced level of aesthetic intention or experimentation. The facial expression is direct and solemn, imbuing the image with quiet emotional gravity. The balance of light and shadow draws the viewer’s attention toward the child's gaze, creating an intimate connection across time.

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