BE-HOLD 39

Lot 5. CURL AND PIN.
Superb 1/6 plate waist-up portrait of this woman of contrasts. Her
expression is a bit solemn, inward. But her careful curl stands out like
a showy feather on a bird, and her pin has been elaborately pricked
on the plate to give it a sparkle. Still sealed to oval mat with black
strip label for A. C. Nichols. Nichols was a daguerreian in Fulton NY,
who also had a gallery in Oswego, and shared a studio with George
N. Barnard, which he continued when Barnard moved to Syracuse,
and he himself also later worked in Syracuse. He attended the first
convention of American photographers-- the convention of the New
York State Daguerrean Association in Utica New York in 1851 (a list
of delegates appears in Welling, "Photography in America," p. 85.)
This is a rare and fine example of Nichols' work. In full case. [4]
$500
Lot 6. NEW ENGLAND LADY.
1/9 plate in oval mat stamped "R. D. Maxham." Her pose and self-presentation are fairly typical. She
wears an attractive wrist band, and her pin and earrings have been touched with gilding. Still sealed, with
a few spots on underside of glass. Maxham's work is rarely seen. He operated in Dover, NH and
Worcester, Mass. [3-] $75
Lot 7. INSCRIBED PLATE
WITH DAGUERREIAN ADVERTISING.
This is a 1/6 plate, without image, but which has been deeply
incised with a logo for "S. G. Conger/ Daguerrean/ Artist."
This is in the exact style of the cartouche which is sometimes
found stenciled on the silk pad of an 1840's daguerreotype
case. It is in a stippled octagonal mat, which would be appropriate
for that era (re-taped to the mat,) in a full case.
Conger is not known as a daguerreotypist other than for this
object. There is a C.F. Conger reported as a stereographer
in Brookville and Tionesta
Pennsylvania, by Darrah. Linda
Ries notes there is an S. Conger listed in Philadelphia in the 1850 census-could
this be our man? My conjecture is that this artist found a uniquely
appropriate daguerreian way to announce himself, perhaps used as an identifying
"label" in a display of his images. [3+] $1300
Lot 8. HOUSE IN STRASBOURG,
by Patrick Bailly-Maitre-Grand, 1985. 1/2 plate, signed and dated on back of
the plate. For a discussion of Maitre-Grand's daguerreotypes see Grant
Romer's "Modern Daguerreotype" in Wood, "The Daguerreotype: a
Sesquicentennial Celebration," where this daguerreotype is illustrated, p. 113.
The artist has a background in science and painting. He made daguerreotypes
for only a few years, and subsequently works in other photographic media.
When this object was in another collection, it suffered a slight scratch at the
very top. The present housing mostly obscures it. This crisp architectural
image has a lovely brown tone against the cool silver. [D4] $2000
page 5 | BE-HOLD | 914.423.5806
DAGUERREOTYPES