Description:
Original old circa late 1850's to early 1860's 6th plate 3 1/4" by 2 3/4" ambrotype of an cute young girl holding half of a set of dentures. My guess is that she is around five or six years old. The girl is posed with her left hand holding the dentures on her lap. Definitely an amazingly rare subject!! One which I have never again seen in my over 40 years of buying & selling photography. We have amused ourselves coming up with reasons why a photographer would have a child hold half of a set of dentures while taking their photograph. We haven't come up with a really good explanation but have enjoyed the various scenarios that have occurred to us. Was her father a dentist and/or a maker of dentures? Was this her favorite toy? Why a denture?
The photo is in excellent condition. T is an attractive little bit of blue/gray toning around the edges. This ambrotype still resides in its original very attractive leather covered bird & curlique design full case with a red velvet liner just like it came out of a Delaware estate.
The velvet liner is incised marked with the photographer's name "E. Garrett 66 Market St. Wilmington, Del."
The following information on Elwood Garrett on Market St. in Wilmington is listed in the outstanding book "The Daguerrian Registry" by John S. Craig . Elwood or Ellwood Garrett was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. A machinist prior to becoming a daguerreotypist, Garrett advertised his gallery in December of 1850 at 66 Market St. According to Craig's listing he apparently learned the daguerreotype process from Samuel Broadbent during his stay in Wilmington. In 1870 Garrett's sons took over the business.
The case has only minor wear & is fresh & bright looking. The case is still intact at the spine. The precise condition of the photo should be easy to figure out from the pics.
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