Outstanding quarter-plate daguerreotype of a young boy posed with his dog. A bonus is a handwritten identification behind the image reads B. H. Cassell at age 5 years. Just by looking at our subject we are able to determine that this young lad and his dog are true pals and most certainly inseparable. A thin rope cascading across the dog’s back and under his large paw, gingerly held by the boy, ensures that inseparability. The dog appears to be unaffected by the commotion going on around him as he sleeps comfortably on his owner’s lap. Judging from the boy’s plain and somewhat wrinkled outfit we can also speculate that he comes from a hard-working family, perhaps a small town or a farm. This image was purchased in downstate Illinois, predominately farm country. Another added bonus to this piece is the fantastic hand-painted folk-art chairs that our subjects occupy.

This is truly one of the most endearing dog daguerreotypes that we have seen! The plate is in excellent condition with lovely tones and great contrast. It had its old seals attached and has now been resealed with new glass. There is a band of perimeter tarnish which is obviously wider and slightly more pronounced on the left side. The spot near the boys face on the left side is just a light cloudy area that most likely could be professionally cleaned, possibly even removed with a distilled water rinse. A truly exceptional image that is housed in full leather case.

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