Sixth-plate studio daguerreotype. Boston, Massachusetts, ca. early 1850s. Housed in a full dark leather Boston-style case with rounded corners and double wire clasps; interior lid retains an unembossed deep plum velvet facing pad.

A full-length portrait of a toddler standing beside a velvet-draped table, resting the left hand on the fabric for support while gripping a harmonica in the right hand. The child is dressed in a short-sleeved, horizontally-striped frock over white undergarments, worn with white stockings and dark ankle shoes.

The attribution to the acclaimed Boston firm of Southworth & Hawes is reflected in the subtle skylight modeling, delicate handling of fine fabric stripes, and the distinctive tonal gradation of the studio background. 

Southworth & Hawes elevated child portraiture above standard commercial studio conventions by abandoning rigid head clamps in favor of natural postures, using their specialized skylight apparatus and fast portrait lenses to capture fleeting expressions with remarkable warmth and depth. Images from their 5 Tremont Row gallery represent the pinnacle of the American daguerreotype. 

[Daguerreotype, Sixth Plate, Southworth & Hawes, Southworth and Hawes, Boston, Child, Toddler, Harmonica, Mouth Organ, Musical Instrument, Striped Dress, Toy, Boston Style Case, Cased Image, 1850s Photography, Antebellum]

Very good condition. The plate displays excellent clarity and depth, with light peripheral tarnish along the left and upper margins, with small, scattered spots. The Boston-style leather case is sound with intact hinges, clasps, light edge wear, and a clean interior velvet pad.