- [Sergeant, 7th New York State Militia]
Closed (Case): 4 11/16 × 3 3/4 × 5/8 in. (11.9 × 9.6 × 1.6 cm)
Open (Case): 4 11/16 × 7 9/16 × 1/2 in. (11.9 × 19.2 × 1.3 cm)
Explore Further
Daguerreotypes—the earliest type of photograph—were
introduced in 1839, spread around the world, and remained popular in America
through the 1850s, often as treasured keepsakes of far-away loved ones. The
young man with noble bearing portrayed in this daguerreotype was a sergeant in
the 7th New York Militia, sometimes called the “silk stocking regiment” because
it included so many members of New York’s social elite. The hand-colored gold
buttons and insignia of his jacket add flash alongside his snow-white sashes
and gloves. In this keepsake, the upright bearing of the sitter in his finest
military fashion is beautifully rendered by the finest quality daguerreotype.
Provenance[Unidentified dealer]; [George S. Whiteley, Atlanta, c. 1981]; purchased by MFAH, 2014.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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