A collection of three framed daguerreotypes, two in their original leather cases, dating from around 1840. The two cased examples are firstly a gentleman, probably younger than his dress and demeanour would suggest, with a red velvet case lining and gilt frame, the case has a brass clasp and measures 9.5 x 8.4cm (3.75" x 3.25"), the second a young lady in a leather case of the same size, the left hand gilt edge to the internal frame is missing. The smaller unframed example measures 6.5 x 5.2cm (2.5" x 2") shows a rather austere young man, the gilt frame edging are really nice.
 
A daguerreotype is a photographic image produced on a highly polished, silver-plated copper plate, created using a direct-positive process invented by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre and announced in 1839. This method was the world's first commercially viable photographic process, involving sensitising the plate with iodine fumes, exposing it in a camera, and developing the image with heated mercury vapour. The resulting unique, detailed image was mounted in a decorative case for protection and viewing.