[EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY]. A group of 17 daguerreotypes and ambrotypes of couples of varying ages, including:

COLLINS, photographer. Quarter plate daguerreotype bust portrait of a middle-aged couple. Philadelphia: Collins, n.d. (significant tarnish around edges, some clouding to image, no preserver present; unsealed.) Housed in a red floral leatherette case (surface wear). Velvet pad stamped for Collins. -- Quarter plate daguerreotype portrait of a studious-looking couple featuring fine hand-tinting. (Spotting to plate with tarnishing around edges, spotting to mat; resealed.) Housed in a blue velvet case (almost fully separated at spine, general wear). -- Sixth plate daguerreotype portrait of a young couple. (Some loss of clarity to image, spotting to mat and preserver; cleaned and resealed 1996.) Housed in a full leatherette case (general wear). Satin pad with ink identification stamp: "R.C. Robinson. / Leander S. Robinson." -- Sixth plate ambrotype portrait of an older couple posed against a painted backdrop. (Excellent clarity, spotting to mat; resealed though preserver is loose.) Housed in a half pressed paper case (general wear). -- And 13 other images, including one half plate daguerreotype, one half plate ambrotype, 3 quarter plate daguerreotypes (including one couple posed together and two individuals posed separately but housed together in the same case), 6 sixth plate daguerreotypes (4 of which feature individual subjects housed together in same case), and one ninth plate daguerreotype. -- Together, 17 cased images of couples, most posed together in a single image. Not all are housed in cases, most cases with significant wear including full separation and missing pieces.