D00-170. CATHAN'S SALOON! That's the information written on a narrow black strip label, embossed with golden letters. The dapper Bostonian is wearing a hairpiece or else he is displaying the best "comb over" ever seen in the state of Massachusetts, circa 1850. Lucius Cathan began making sixth plates since 1843 in Townsend, VT before settling in Boston. He obviously was highly skilled. The clarity of his male subject is masterful. Every crease on his face is defined. His eyes are pools of intelligence. The contrast is in the extended range of white and dark values. The reflected depth is awesome. Waves of flowing oxidation on either side of the gent resemble a clever use of a magical vignette. The resealed sixth plate is held in a leather case without a cover. $155