Daguerreotype of Woman with cap and glasses on her head

This daguerreotype of a woman from the 1840s is in a wood case covered by embossed leather. The front has three flowers, which are framed by a complex border. The back of the case has a repeating pattern of diamonds and zig-zag lines with a decorative border. The case is lined with red silk. The daguerreotype is sealed with glass and in a brass- or gold-plated rectangular frame with a hexagonal cutout. The frame, glass, and daguerreotype are held in place by a velvet bumper.

The woman can be seen holding a book with a floral pattern on the cover. She accessorizes her dress with a white day cap featuring a dark ribbon going across the top, a white collar, a beaded necklace, and wire frame glasses, which are sitting on her day cap. Her dress is plain and dark, featuring narrow but not tight-fitting sleeves with buttons above the elbow and gauging or cartridge pleating on the front of the bodice. The V-shaped bodice and tight-fitting sleeves along with her hairstyle are characteristic of an 1840s date.

References

Franklin, Harper. "1840-1849." Fashion History Timeline. Last modified November 2, 2020. https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1840-1849/.

Harding, Colin. "How to Spot a Daguerreotype (1840s-1850s)." Science and Media Museum. Last modified April 16, 2013. https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/find-out-whe n-a-photo-was-taken-identify-daguerreotype-photography/.

North, Susan. "From Neoclassicism to the Industrial Revolution: 1790-1860." In The Fashion Reader, 3rd ed., by Linda Welters and Abby Lillethun, 50-63. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2022.

Severa, Joan L. "The 1840s." In Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900, 1-25. Kent, OH: Kent State Univ. Press, 1995.