1843c Handsome Young Man Rare Acorn Plumbe Daguerreotype

Product Description

PD85A: 1843c Young Man Fingers In Lapels 6th Plate Daguerreotype In Rare Plumbe Acorn Mat With Rare Double Hallmarks HS 40 and GD Stamps:

Unusual and early portrait of a smiling young man living it large for the camera. He sits in front of a material backdrop and is clearly pleased with himself – I often wonder what he was celebrating. The early 6th plate comes covered with a rare and sought after acorn mat which is usually associated with Plumbe (some of these mats have a Plumbe stamp on them with a patent date of Oct 1842). This one does not have the stamp but it is usually accepted that this unstamped version was also by Plumbe. To add further rarity, the early plate is stamped with two rare hallmarks. The HS 40 hallmarks is considered very uncommon and thinking in some quarters suggests that this may even have been one of the plates that Hawes and Southworth sold. It has an even more scarce hallmark however with the letters ‘GD’ stamped into the back of the copper. I personally have only seen this GD stamp once before which happens to be on another of my plates (catalogue number PD137: ). The case is also early and uncommon with cross hatching to the plain red/brown leather. Condition wise, the plate is in nice shape bar a little bit of a tarnish spot between his neck and shoulder. Great presence to this piece!