Sixth-plate daguerreotype plate housed under an oval gilt brass mat and scalloped preserver, enclosed in a deluxe scalloped faux-tortoiseshell (lacquered papier-mâché or horn) miniature presentation case featuring elaborate floral mother-of-pearl and abalone inlays with gold-wire stems, lined in rich crimson velvet with a functional side latch. Ca. 1850 - 1856. Plate measures approx. 2 3/4 x 3 1/4 in.; case measures approx. 3 5/8 x 4 1/8 in.

A stately, distinguished portrait capturing Millard Fillmore (1800 - 1874) during his White House tenure or the immediate post-presidential period leading up to the 1856 campaign.

Rendered in three-quarter bust profile, the 13th President is depicted with his trademark dignified countenance, swept silver-gray hair, and clean-shaven jawline. He is dressed in statesman’s attire: a tailored dark broadcloth frock coat with velvet collar, matching silk-lapel waistcoat, a crisp white standing collar, and a wide black silk stock cravat tied with precision. The lighting sculpts his features with remarkable clarity, reflecting the high-caliber work of a prominent Washington, New York, or Buffalo studio. 

Fillmore assumed the presidency in July 1850 upon the sudden death of Zachary Taylor, navigating the nation through one of the most volatile legislative crises in American history. His presidency was defined by the contentious Compromise of 1850, the admission of California as a free state, and the dispatch of Commodore Matthew Perry’s naval expedition to open Japan to international trade.

Adding extraordinary visual appeal and value to this plate is the magnificent deluxe case. Unlike typical embossed leather or thermoplastic cases, this example is crafted with shaped, serpentine-bracketed borders finished in a rich, warm mottled amber-and-espresso tortoiseshell lacquer. The front cover is embellished with a branching floral bouquet executed in hand-cut iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone petals connected by delicate twisted gilt-wire stems. Inlaid mother-of-pearl cases of this caliber were the most expensive commercial presentation housings of the 1850s, certainly appropriate for an original portrait of an American president. 

Lifetime cased photographic images of American presidents stand among the most sought-after genre of early photography. 

[Daguerreotype, Sixth Plate, Millard Fillmore, President Millard Fillmore, 13th President, US Presidents, Whig Party, Compromise of 1850, Political Americana, White House, Mother of Pearl, Abalone Inlay, Tortoiseshell Case, Papier-Mâché Case, Deluxe Case, Cased Image]

Good condition. The plate displays strong contrast, subtle tonal gradation, and excellent detail. We note a ring of tarnish on the edge of the mat opening and some faintspotting across the image.