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| D08-56. A LESSON LEARNED! An eager young gentleman sat watching his snowy maned mentor while he rested an open book on his knee. The men both touched the tome that certainly played a part in their relationship. The daguerreotypist was aware of that importance and he embellished the cover and page edges with bright gold. While he had his palette of paints opened he also tinted their cheeks and lips with red blush. The dynamics of the composition and the strength of each character are outstanding. The powerful pose, the resounding holographic quality of the archivally sealed quarter plate and the natural patina vignetting the pair propel them off the plane of perfection in this stunning example of daguerreian art! Fantastic tones and extended contrast add superlatives to the likeness. "DEMAREST NY" is embossed in the left corner of the double elliptical brass mat while "BLEECKER ST. COR. AMOS" was placed in the opposite corner. Abraham G. Demarest was an unknown maker to me before I purchased this monumental daguerreotype. According to John Craig, he operated his gallery at number 326 from 1851 to 1859. We will probably never know the men he daguerreotyped, but their profiles will be forever captured and displayed on this silver sunbeam! The mat abrasions inside the periphery of the brass occurred when a previous owner broke the original seals to clean the under side of the glass and didn't bother to make an archival seal. Another lesson WHY you should not take apart daguerreotypes unless you know how to properly take care of them! The complete leather case has an interesting repaired spine. $4,800 |
