This daguerreotype (an early type of photograph) sold for $20,000 recently at auction. It’s a photo of the 1854 Yale rowing team.

This ½ plate daguerreotype, sealed with original seals to a double elliptical mat, is a great group portrait. The 5 men in back wear their straw hats; the 5 seated in front have their hats on their laps. They all have stars on their decorative vests, with anchors on the collar. Some have different colored shirts and slightly different ties. The seated person at right holds an oar or other object. They are individualized with their interesting faces clear, facing in slightly different directions.

The paper backing inside the case has a period pencil inscription identifying them as “Our Lady Crowd of Old.” It names the men, and says it was “Taken in N. Haven July 25, 1854.”

There are a few minor rust spots on the plate, but it has the original character expected in an 1854 plate that has not been touched since its making. The most fascinating daguerreotypes of historical importance and lively fascination are ever more scarce. [3+]

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