Buffalo Coat Dandy

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype | What puts this suave, confident gent way over the top is his amazing textured coat, which appears to be made of the dark wool from a wild buffalo — that is, from the American Bison that were still plentiful in the 1850s, and might have been encountered by California-bound overland travelers on the open plains. In sartorial terms, this coat expresses the dash & hubris of the Wild West — and is a rare example from the ante-bellum period of American photography. His hat is worn at a jaunty devil-may-care angle. The cigar he is chewing on helps to keep him from looking like a fop. He holds an elegant ivory-topped walking stick, which is so slender it must have functioned more as a pointer, rather than a cane to be seriously leaned on. In his other hand, he holds one of his sheer calf-skin gloves. This eye-popping portrait came from the collection of Robert & Katherine Schwemley, who were long time daguerreians from Stockton, California. It recently appeared on television, on "The Gold Rush," part of PBS's American Experience series. The show, with its many excellent cased images, is now available on DVD.

Condition: The scan picks up — and exaggerates — a very minor haze present on the right side of the plate. Overall quality better than the scan, which does not capture the subtle aspects or sharpness of his handsome face. Some tarnish at the periphery, (particularly top and bottom of the oval) which is the normal patina of age in a daguerreotype created 150 years ago. In a full case of leather of wood, well-preserved, with original spine intact. Attractive embossed red-velvet pad faces the image. New archival seals and modern glass, expertly installed by us.

Key points: Buffalo coat, raffish elegance, cigar, top hat; rich tones; faint haze; Sixth Plate American Daguerreotype (measuring 3 1/4 inches x 2 3/4 inches; 8.2 cm x 7.0 cm). Image #D-32; price on request.