Daguerreian Society Annual Benefit Auction

Quarter-plate daguerreotype in paper mat, c. 1841-42.

A rare, early Baltimore, Maryland portrait taken by daguerreian pioneer Henry Fitz (1808-1863). A fine, early portrait of a gentleman seated in front of drapes with large tassels, holds a book entitled Universal History, V.I. Verso of plate inscribed "Fitz." In a full early case with intact hinge and pink silk pillow. Fitz opened a studio in Baltimore in June, 1840 and began taking ninth plate images with Wolcott's patented mirror camera. He soon abandoned the early camera in favor of a lens-based device that could make larger images. By the summer of 1843, Fitz had closed his studio and returned to New York where for the rest of his career, focused on manufacturing telescopes (see Cowan and Wetzel 2022, "New Light on Henry Fitz Jr.: a Pioneer Daguerreian" in The Daguerreian Annual, pp. 6-25.