D02-184. MOTHER AND ME. Upon telling his friends of his latest trip back home to see the family, this gentleman told them that, mother and I decided to go see the local daguerreotypist in order to capture our likeness together, so she could remember me exactly as I was, after I had left. She did have a good idea to get their picture taken. It came out perfectly. Now she could enjoy it while her dear son went back to his own family. Although this is pretty much a straightforward portrait of mother and son, some other qualities distinguish it as very singular and intriguing. First of all the object at the top of the plate is not a flaw on the actual dag, but a reflecting cloth hung in order to gather light on the two subjects, which it did perfectly. This crude set-up of reflector boards did the job, lighting their heads so good that every last wrinkle can be seen on mothers forehead, and the shadows under juniors eyes. Im sure he acquired the shadows and bags under his eyes from long days and nights at work because he is dressed in very nice clothes. Another note of interest in their quarter plate daguerreotype is the contrast between the mother and her son. He is dapper, somewhat prominently posed with the Napoleonic style salute, while his mother sits quaintly with her hands resting in her lap. She almost wears a frown on her face while her son smirks slightly knowing confidently that he is getting ahead in life. Condition wise, there are a few errant spots about the two of them and some odd tarnishing near the bottom, but otherwise the plate is in great shape. The resealed image is in a whole leather case of a floral design with a repaired hinge. One more point is the unusual and rare paper chosen for a backer inside the case. It is a piece of newspaper with an article that can be partially read describing Matthew Brady and how he had taken Portrait Sketches of Americans, going on to say they were of famous people, and at the end I think there is ordering information. Very interesting indeed, maybe this gent with his mother was one of those famous Americans. Does anyone recognize him? $280