Let's Try This Again...Distressed Daguerreotypes

The main reason it's been nearly 4 years since my last post is the difficulty I find in positioning photos in my posts and having them remain where I put them.  On numerous occasions, I've had to re-open posts and re-position photos that had moved out of position.  I finally gave up, and concentrated my energies on my FB posts - at least they would remain how I posted them.

Over the years, I have noticed others in the antique photography groups I belong to on FB have made mention of this blog, so I thought I'd give it another try - perhaps Google has improved things since I last posted.

With the recent skyrocketing in the price of daguerreotypes, even the plain everyday ones, my ability to purchase them has been severely curtailed.  I have recently purchased 8 'distressed' daguerreotypes from a fellow collector in New York (thanks again Jeffrey!).  These 8 poor dags - 3 6th plate and 5 4th plate, 7 of which came to me completely naked - no case, preserver, mat or cover glass - all wiped, scuffed, scratched and tarnished.

I bought them thinking I might get half decent images once they have been cleaned, which I will do to most of them once I can get everything I need together to do so.  However, I found one of the 4th plates is tinted - not just cheeks or face and hands, but her clothing as well.  I can't clean her, because all the tinting will be lost if I do - here she is, in all her sad glory:-

Unenhanced 4th Plate of Young Woman Seated at Table on SCOVILLS plate

From the collection of John S. Rochon

As you can see, she had taken quite a beating, but the colours still show through.  By enhancing the image in a photo editor, much more detail is found:-

Enhanced 4th Plate of Young Woman Seated at Table on SCOVILLS plate

From the collection of John S. Rochon

I think she would look wonderful cleaned, but I would have to have it done by a professional, and I simply can't justify the expense :(