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.