William Langenheim (1807-1874) and Frederick Langenheim (1812-1879)

half-plate daguerreotype, in the original green leather case, 'W. & F. Langenheim, Philadelphia, Exchange' embossed in the velvet lining, 1840s

This remarkable daguerreotype conveys a wonderful sense of light and depth. It delivers a great deal of detail in the subjects' faces and clothes. This daguerreotype is on a plate with 4 clipped corners. The edges are all evenly crimped downward – this was done to secure the plate to a block of wood during the pre-sensitization buffing process. The plate is in very good condition. As visible in the catalogue illustration, there is a faint scuff off the center of the top edge; a thin half-inch scratch near the upper part of the left edge; and a faint 2-inch diagonal scratch in the lower right corner. There is characteristic tarnish around the edges of the image, following the line of the mat. There are some faint abrasions on the plate in the upper corners where the mat has rubbed slightly. These are insignificant and do not detract in a measurable way from the fine appearance of this image.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This daguerreotype is the original for two half-plate copy daguerreotypes in institutional collections: at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Library of Congress.  The former is reproduced in John Wood's The Daguerreotype: A Sesquicentennial Celebration (University of Iowa Press, 1989, pl. 91).  The small scuff visible in the upper edge of the daguerreotype offered here is replicated photographically in the laterally-reversed copy plates, confirming that the present daguerreotype is the original.  The Library of Congress identifies the subjects of its daguerreotype as members of the Cresson and Pritchett families. 

This exceptional family portrait by two of the earliest practitioners of the daguerreian art in America is remarkable for its large, half-plate size, as well as for its masterful rendering of light.  Born in Germany, the Langenheim brothers came to America in the 1830s.  They began making daguerreotypes in 1840.  They were located at the Exchange address that appears on the case lining of the daguerreotype offered here beginning in 1843, and remained in business at a sequence of addresses on Exchange through 1850.  Photographic innovators, the Langenheims were the first to make photographic transparencies on glass.  They were also among the first photographers in this country to use Talbot's positive/negative paper process.