Franklin Expedition—Richard Beard Studio | A set of 14 daguerreotypes of the officers of the Franklin expedition, 1845

Franklin Expedition—Richard Beard Studio

A unique set of 14 daguerreotypes of the officers of the Franklin expedition, 1845

14 sixth-plate daguerreotypes (70 x 83mm.), each hand-tinted with shell gold applied to the buttons, hat bands and epaulettes of the officers' jackets, all but one sealed, each inscribed on the verso (in ink or etched with a stylus, denoting name and sometimes rank of sitter, name of ship on which they served, and date), housed in a contemporary partitioned, book-form morocco case (203 x 339 x 22mm.), the daguerreotypes presented in four rows, blind-tooling around edges of lid and tray and to outer edges and inner faces of side walls, inner surface of compartments lined with glazed burgundy cloth, accompanied by a manuscript list of officers in ink on laid paper

THE PRE-EMINENT SET OF DAGUERREOTYPES OF FRANKLIN'S DOOMED EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. THIS SENSATIONAL SET WAS OWNED BY FRANKLIN’S DIRECT DESCENDENTS, AND HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN OR EXHIBITED IN PUBLIC.

PROVENANCE:

Family of Sir John Franklin, by direct descent