Half plate seated studio portrait daguerreotype. New York: Jeremiah Gurney, ca. 1853-1858. Full leatherette case. Brass mat stamped with photographer's imprint. 

This half-length portrait depicts a poised young woman seated with folded hands, gazing serenely to the viewer's left. Her hair is styled in smooth, center-parted wings sweeping back into low side coils, accented with dangling earrings. She wears a silk off-the-shoulder evening dress with sheer pleated lace trim along the neckline and cuffs. Gurney’s signature mastery of lighting and camera optics is on full display, from the rich sculptural modeling across her face, neck, and shoulders to the delicate translucency of the gathered bodice fabric.

Jeremiah Gurney was widely regarded alongside Mathew Brady as the king of early New York daguerreian portraiture. After moving from 189 Broadway to his lavish "Temple of Art" at 349 Broadway in 1853, Gurney catered to high society, foreign dignitaries, and the cultural elite, winning the prestigious Anthony Pitcher for producing the finest American daguerreotypes. Large half-plate portraits bearing his crisp 349 Broadway studio hallmark are among the finest surviving examples of American daguerreian art. This example would be at home in any advanced collection. 

[Daguerreotype, Half Plate, Jeremiah Gurney, J Gurney, 349 Broadway, New York City, Cased Image, Early Photography, 19th Century Photography, Antebellum Portraiture, Victorian Fashion, Evening Gown, Off the Shoulder Dress, American Daguerreian Master]

Fine condition. The plate retains remarkable sharpness and tone, with the subject surrounded by a dramatic, vivid ring of cobalt-blue peripheral oxidation along the oval bevel mat line. The surface shows scattered, faint pinpoint dust and subtle, light wiping marks consistent with plate preparation, remaining securely housed in its original case.