Seed Pearl Necklace and Bracelets

[James]

(07-10-2019 01:10 AM)Steve Wrote:  The style of daguerreotype (ie mat, preserver, etc) along with the clothing styles of the couple in the image date the photograph to 1856-58.

Photographers were still making daguerreotypes in 1861, but the introduction of the carte de visite in 1859 and tintype in 1856 spelled the end of the format by 1864. So the very fact that the image is a daguerreotype would seem to weigh against it being taken in Washington DC in 1861, at one of the centers of culture in the entire country two years after prints were first introduced. And that a photographer would take a daguerreotype of the newly elected President and his wife during his inaugural ceremonies instead of showing off their talents with the newest and best methods.

It seems to me the only reason you want to date the photograph to the inauguration, despite all the visual evidence to the contrary dating it some years earlier, is that Lincoln didn't have a beard before then and thus to claim the couple is Lincoln and Mary you'd have to date it to the inauguration at the earliest to avoid the problem of the obsolescence of daguerreotype. Even though the man in the photograph looks nothing like Abraham Lincoln in the clear and crisp image.

Thanks, Steve, for acknowledging that there were in fact daguerreotypes still being made in 1861. Obviously they were in the process of being phased out by that time in favor of cheaper and more efficient methods of photography by that date, but there were still plenty of practicing daguerreotypists who were reluctant to abandon the art of daguerreotypy due to their familiarity with the process.
Roger noted in his most recent post that he had "seen several possible dates for Mary's photo" relating specifically to a photo that some sources say was taken in 1861 while others ascribe a date for the sitting as early 1862.
There are allegations that Matthew Brady used photographic card stock that was printed in 1861 for photographs that were actually taken in 1862, which may well be a contributing factor in the controversy over the sitting dates of certain Lincoln photographs. Why? Convenience. The material was on hand and would either be used or tossed in the trash. Paper photo card stock was abundant and cheap compared to the materials necessary to produce a daguerreotype, i.e; pre-silvered copper plate, brass matt, retainer, glass cover, gutta-percha case, etc. The manufacturers of these items were few and far between in 1861 due to the rapid decline in demand for the more expensive and dated daguerreotype. Yet there were many photographers (John Craig - Daguerreian Registry) who, having crossed over into ambrotypes and carte-de-visites, were still proficient at making daguerreotypes and would have had the materials on hand necessary to produce them. For individuals knowledgeable on the subject, the fact that the brass matt and retainer on a daguerreotype produced in early 1861 resembled those manufactured in 1858 or 1859 would not have been at all unusual.
If a photographer were inclined to "show off his talents", as you suggest, I doubt that it would involve a grainy image on a piece of paper (carte-de-visite), and I also doubt that Abraham or Mary Lincoln would have been duly impressed with a now prolific process available to the masses. No,... Mary Lincoln (who obviously arranged the sitting) would have been much more impressed by a unique, one-of-a-kind image, as she was with the 1846-'48 companion daguerreotypes of her and Abe now housed in the Library of Congress that she so treasured. I also have grave doubts that ANY period photographer would have been calling the shots as to the time and location of the sitting and the photographic method used where Mary Todd Lincoln was involved. SHE would have given the marching orders.
The clothing you mention is a non-issue. Lincoln's suit is identical to those worn throughout his presidency, regardless of what some self-proclaimed expert has to say. Likewise with Mary's gown. That's not a "day dress". You know how I feel about "experts". One who cedes their powers of observation and ability to think to others will ultimately forfeit their very humanity.
I'M... not dating the photograph to the inauguration, the visual and circumstantial evidence dates the photograph to the inauguration, and obviously the length and style of the beard plays a role. The fact that the Lincoln community cannot see the forest because of all the trees obstructing their view is apparent to objective viewers and readers of this thread. I have no expectations that this will ever be overcome with reason or logic.
By the way, Steve, you stated earlier that you were confident that the couple were Jehiel Halsey and his wife (can't recall her name offhand). Would you please post their photos on here if and when you track them down? Thank you.