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This quarter plate daguerreotype is undated. We would guess that it was taken in the 1850s. While we unfortunately have no information identifying the family, they were clearly prosperous. And the image provides a great example of period fashion. It was in a full case and shows a man and wife with their young son. The little boy is wearing a polka dot button up blouse with what looks like a small ruffled collar. Note the large number of buttons and the fact the ruffled come part of the wsay down the frontb of the blouse. Even though the family is prosperous, we wonder if perhaps made the boy's blouse. We are not sure about the regional conventions. Would a boy from important northeastern cities been more likely to wear a suit. We wonder if the blouse would have been more likely to have been worm in smaller towns or western (at the time the mid-West) states. We are less sure about boys' fashions in the mid-19th century than the late 19th century when there is a much larger number of available images. The mother has on a beautiful cameo brooch and a wonderful period hair style. Notice how she cklasps her hands rather than holding hands with her son. The father looks a little stern and wars a popped up collar. The leather case has two clasps and is with velvet and gold accents.
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