How to Spot a Fake Daguerreotype
Daguerreotypes, named for their inventor, French chemist Louis Daguerre, are very popular among collectors of early photography and historical memorabilia. These 19th-century images were reproduced on polished silver, preserved under glass and kept in beautifully detailed cases. It is not easy to fake a daguerreotype, but new collectors should be wary of imitations or misrepresentations. Follow these steps to spot a fake daguerreotype.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Become familiar with real daguerreotypes so you know what to look for. Visit daguerreotype collections like that of the George Eastman House photography museum in Rochester, New York, or browse online collections at the American Museum of Photography or the Daguerrian Society (see Resources below). Study authoritative resources like Floyd and Marion Rinart's "The American Daguerreotype," published by the Getty Museum.
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Learn to distinguish daguerreotypes from other early forms of photography. Daguerreotype images were produced on silver and encased in glass; when you hold one up to your face, it should reflect your image like a mirror. Early daguerreotypes had a gray or blue tinge; later ones have more of the brownish tint associated with old sepia-toned photographs, but still hold some blue where the silver has tarnished. Ambrotypes were printed on the glass itself, and tintypes on coated tin; neither of these has the same mirror-like reflection or blue notes as a daguerreotype.
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Check for appropriate aging. Antique daguerreotypes were produced during a fairly narrow window from 1840 to 1855; obviously, images of subjects who lived long before or long after that time would be suspect. Look at the condition of the piece when it is removed from its frame or case: you should see some tarnishing of the silver, especially around the edges, and yellowing or peeling of the paper tape that joins the image to its glass cover. The cover or frame should show some wear damage as well, as these are more than 150 years old.
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Be wary of images depicting famous historical personages, such as Abraham Lincoln, or Native Americans; these are the most likely to be faked. Dealers may try to pass off a real antique daguerreotype of an unknown subject as that of a famous person. In that case, the daguerreotype itself would not be a fake, but its subject (and value) would be misrepresented. Always attempt to have a daguerreotype depicting a famous person authenticated by an independent expert before agreeing to purchase it.
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Look for reversed images. All daguerreotypes depict their subjects reversed left-to-right (what photographers today would call "flopped"), because of the nature of the photographic process. You won't be able to tell from the facial features if the subject is a portrait of an unknown person, but look for monograms or other recognizable images such as clock faces in the background. If they read correctly, your daguerreotype is a fake.
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Buy only from reputable dealers, and inspect the daguerreotype in person. You cannot spot a faked daguerreotype from a photograph. Daguerreotype collectors note that these images are among the most commonly faked "antiques" offered for sale on the Internet, and caution against buying daguerreotypes from any online seller.
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Tips & Warnings
Understand that a real daguerreotype might be presented in a fake case or frame, and vice versa. Evaluate the whole package together, but if the image is genuine you can always search for a real case or frame to put it in. Just don't pay the price you would if both image and frame were authentic.
Don't use a wedding ring on the right hand, or button plackets that seem to be on the "wrong" side, as evidence that an image is a true, reversed-image daguerreotype. In the 19th century, rings were worn on both hands and on different fingers, and homemade men's and women's clothing might have plackets that faced in either direction.
Never remove the cover glass to examine a daguerreotype. The image itself, on the silver backing, is very fragile, and your fingerprint oils could destroy the image or tarnish the silver. If it must be removed for authentication, have an expert photographic restorer do the removal.
Don't confuse newly produced artistic daguerreotypes with fakes. Many contemporary art photographers are experimenting with creating new images using or simulating the techniques of early photography. To see a gallery of modern daguerreotypes, visit NewDags.com.
Don't let a case that looks "plastic" fool you into thinking your daguerreotype is a fake. Early plastics made from resins were often molded into daguerreotype cases, because they provided sturdier protection than leather.
