How much are daguerreotypes worth?

How much are daguerreotypes worth?

Record prices in excess of $30,000 have been paid for individual daguerreotypes at auction. At a 1988 Sotheby’s auction, a group of 11 daguerreotypes brought more than $50,000. A common portrait (many are found in hand-tinted color) of an unknown individual in clean condition generally fetches about $30.

Can you restore daguerreotype?

Daguerreotypes break down with time and can eventually become ruined and unrecognizable. But researchers at Western University in Canada have created a new technique that recovers even the most damaged daguerreotypes. It reveals what lies under the severe degradation and shows the images in all their original detail.

What makes a daguerreotype valuable?

Collectible and valuable The most collectible daguerrotypes are those which provide information about the sitter or about the time period in which he/she lived. Of course, large scale daguerreotypes, daguerreotypes of famous figures in history, and unique sites command the highest values.

What is the difference between a tintype and a daguerreotype?

Tintypes, patented in 1856, are actually on iron, not tin. Unlike a daguerreotype, tintypes are not reflective. While you can find them in cases (like the previous two image types), most tintypes found in collections aren’t in any type of protective sleeve or case.

How do you identify a daguerreotype?

Daguerreotypes are easily identified by a mirror-like, highly polished silver surface and its dually negative/positive appearance when viewed from different angles or in raking light. Daguerreotypes are typically housed in miniature hinged cases made of wood covered with leather, paper, cloth, or mother of pearl.

How do you clean a daguerreotype?

Loose surface dust can be removed with a soft brush or with pressurized air, preferably with air blown from a compressed air can. No other cleaning method can be recommended safely. The unprotected surface of a daguerreotype is sensitive to the slightest touch; such a plate should therefore be handled with utmost care.

How do you preserve daguerreotypes?

Tintypes with flaking emulsions should be stored flat and stored in low-humidity. Tintypes in good condition are best stored in a sturdy four-flap enclosure if loose or, if cased, wrapped in acid-free tissue and placed in a folding box to prevent breakage and abrasion. Store vertically with dividers between each slide.

How do you store Ambrotypes?

Ambrotypes in good condition are best stored in an acid-free four-flap enclosure or, if cased, wrapped in acid-free tissue inside a folding box to prevent breakage and abrasion. Ambrotypes with flaking emulsion layers should be stored flat.

How do you store ambrotypes?

How long do daguerreotypes last?

“If you put your daguerreotypes in an inert atmosphere, in the dark, at zero degrees centigrade, maybe they’ll last for a thousand years,” said Grant Romer, a former Eastman conservator and a daguerreotype specialist.

Do daguerreotypes fade?

The image layer remains light sensitive: it will fade completely in extreme cases. Daguerreotypes are also very thin and easily damaged, so for these reasons they were placed in hinged custom cases, often called Union Cases.

What tarnishes the silver in a daguerreotype?

High humidity can contribute to tarnishing and other corrosion processes of daguerreotype plates. The major driving forces behind glass corrosion are moisture and fluctuations in relative humidity.