Daguerrotypes

smileygal

Hi,

Has anyone any idea how to value a daguerrotype, other than condition and how elaborate the decoration is? No one famous or American Civil War in them, I know that can add value.

I have two of different sizes, one had the velvet stamped and the other doesn't. Both are of women - I am guessing French/Continental around 1860s.
One is hand-tinted (blue and gold) - is this rare, is it value-adding?

Any ideas appreciated. Unfortunately I cannot currently put up photos of them.

Thanks.

Morlar

No idea of the value I am afraid but if you come across any Irish related ones they are likely to be more valuable. You could try checking with ebay closing prices but I think it's going to be subjective and will depend a lot on the actual pictures and the condition as well.

smileygal

Yes, I think it is a pretty subjective non-standard area of antiques.

Are there any shops/dealers in Ireland that specialise in old photography & equipment?

davmigil

There isn't much trading in them in Ireland, so hard to establish price.
Hand tinting is common enough with daguerreotypes (often just details, e.g. a piece of jewellery etc), affect on price is variable.

Don't know of any shop in Ireland specialising in them (if you find one please be sure to post it here!).

More unusual subject matter can push up the price (e.g. a person dressed in the clothes of their profession, person on a bicycle, post-mortem pictures (especially of children)). Also larger the size usually higher the price.
Any information on them what studio they were taken in etc. Agree with Morlar that irish interest would make them more valuable.

Either way, they are beautiful things to own, so I hang on to them rather than sell them off cheap.

Are they definitely daguerreotypes and not ambrotypes or tin types? Dags would have been dwindling in favour by 1860s. Daguerreotypes look much more mirror like, but sometimes hard to tell them apart.