One-of-a-kind, quarter-plate (1/4) circa 1854 daguerreotype portrait of the author, poet and women's right activist Elizabeth Oakes Smith. She was identified verbally by the previous owner, who did not know who she was, as "Elizabeth Smith", based on family history. After researching the name and noticing the facial similarity and the location of the studio (Smith grew up in Portland, and moved to New York in 1860), I sent scans to The Maine Women Writers Collection, University of New England, and they agreed on the identity.
Photographed by George Howe of Portland, Maine, whose studio name is stamped in the lower right corner: G.M. Howe Portland ME Housed in a push-button case in excellent vintage condition. Case measures 4 5/8" x 3 3/4" closed.
The plate is in very clean and in excellent condition with a nice tarnish ring around the perimeter. The specks are on the underside of the glass and exaggerated by my camera. Plate has no visible swipes, dings scratches or other damage, other than normal tarnishing, aging. I would clean and reseal with archival tape, but I do not want to leave any doubt that the stamped mat is original to the image. This dag still has most of its original seals intact and in place.