D00-32. LOTS OF BUTTONS. Full-length views of children certainly suggest to me that the daguerreotypist was more of a risk-taker. Many possible disasters could occur and if the boy or girl wasn't stable, they could shake their way through the exposure. The operator placed a rug over the floorboards and tinted it blue. It ended just behind his subject and the planks are revealed, until they reach a slash of light at the bottom of the dark cloth backdrop. I was intrigued by that area of brightness and also the reflections in the child's eyes. The main source of illumination entered the room on the right side, but there were white screens in a circular shape above, on the left and the bottom. The lad leaned gently on the table and stood stationary, but bobbed his head, while the maker made his exposure. He colored the tablecloth, his subject's flesh tones and then delicately painted the bindings on the books with gold. There is outstanding reflected depth and the boy has a sweet disposition. Rich patina frames him and there are a couple mold spiders in the drop. A teeny blue dot is on his cheek and there is another one on his pants. The retaped sixth plate rests in a leather case that is apart. $695