Whole-plate hand-tinted ivorytype affixed beneath an oval-aperture stamped-brass mat and heavy foliate preserver, housed in a full thermoplastic Union case with rich plum velvet facing pad, Philadelphia, ca 1859 - 1860. The lower left of the brass mat bears the distinct stamped studio imprint: "Germon 702 Chestnut Street, Phila." Accompanied by an early appraisal evaluation sheet.

The portrait depicts Rebecca Jones Lasher, a matriarch of a prominent Philadelphia family, rendered in the luminous tones characteristic of a true ivorytype - a complex, patent-protected period process where a salted or albumen print was sealed directly to the reverse of plate glass using beeswax, Canada balsam, and varnish, creating the delicate porcelain-like appearance of an ivory miniature. The work is firmly attributed to master Philadelphia photographer Washington Lafayette Germon (1823 -1877), whose studio operated at 702 Chestnut Street specifically between 1859 and 1860. The precise alignment of the imprint, process, and date indicates that this portrait and its spectacular whole-plate case have been unified from their original presentation.

The image is housed in one of the rarest, most celebrated large-format thermoplastic Union cases known to American photographic history: "The Landing of Columbus" (Berg 1-7), manufactured by Littlefield, Parsons & Co. and die-engraved by the master die-sinkers Frederick B. Smith and Herman Hartmann. Adapted directly from John Vanderlyn’s monumental 1847 canvas in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the exterior lid presents an astonishing tableau in high relief, featuring Christopher Columbus brandishing the Royal Standard of Spain alongside kneeling friars, armored soldiers, and sailors claiming San Salvador. The central scene is framed by an upper cartouche of Columbus's flagship, a lower medallion depicting Indigenous canoes, and lavish cornucopia borders. Large-format whole-plate pictorial Union cases of this caliber are extraordinarily scarce on the market, particularly when preserving an intact, original portrait executed by a premier American practitioner.

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Very good to fine condition. The ivorytype retains exquisite, delicate hand-tinting, deep tones, and clean surfaces. The thermoplastic case exhibits exceptional sharpness and crisp high-relief definition across all sides, with no structural cracks and only minimal corner rubbing. The hinges and clasps remain fully sound and intact. The interior portrait display retains vivid color and outstanding sharpness.