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When specialist Emily Bierman was shown an unidentified daguerreotype, she immediately sensed there was more to the story. Previously sold at auction with both the photographer and sitter listed as unknown, the remarkable portrait had been overlooked for what it truly was: a priceless piece of American history.
A closer examination revealed a signature from pioneering daguerreotypist Philip Haas and, hidden inside the case, an inscription that unlocked the identity of the sitter: George Boyer Vashon, the first licensed African American attorney in New York State, a pioneering educator, abolitionist and influential advocate for civil rights.
Discover how an overlooked photograph became a powerful rediscovery of American history.
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Comments
46 responses to “Who Is the Man In This 170-Year-Old Photo? How #sothebys Rediscovered a Misjudged Masterpiece”
“It’s priceless!”, says the auction company. 😂
I remember when Americans pronounced "often" without enunciating the "t." The proper way.
Why is someone who is obviously Mulatto referred to as Black? Completely ignoring the White ethnicity of the person!
Thank you! That is an awesome piece of history!!
What a cool story
Thank you
I’ll call you – but for dinner and a ride 👍
Not as cool as John C Calhoun, but pretty good.
My dear professor , typical victorian
WOW.
“He was one of the first black professors in the United States….”
What? He was black?
Well you certainly can’t tell from the daguerreotype. IMO.
Beautiful story!
Amazing that nobody else thought to open the frame and look inside.
Gross
That’s the whitest black man I’ve ever seen. Other than Michael Jackson of course.
Was the sitter Hawaiian royalty?
This was not really science to find out the behindings. So why can't an auctionist do it?
Awesome find, and story!
BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Never mentioned the painted face. Was it watercolor?
I have one of the these, it's of my great-grandmother.
She was from Spain, she was young, she was beautiful.
She has on what looks like a black dress with a very high collar up to her chin. I can almost see her golden earrings sparkle.
Her black hair is slicked back to the nape of her neck in a bun.
Her name was Venezuela and my mama said her hair hung down to the back of her knees and that it had never been cut.
The case is a tiny leather book with a tiny golden hook for the clasp.
I've always loved it.
Jude,from
Kentucky ✝️🙏🐎
How was it colored is what I want to know.
BFHD. Everything now has to come to a particular singularity in order to be valuable or important doesn’t it.
Isnt there a facial recognition project going on regards such old photos ?
Imagine showing abolitionist modern black culture and crime stats. Be a good laugh.
Awesome 👏🏼 thanks for the education!
How about one of an unknown civil war soldier
She never said what it was bought or sold for. Great history lesson though.
I need one of those suction cup things to check mine out.
You're awesome!
First picture of a black guy
I have my great grandmother’s photo album. It is full of daguerreotypes and a couple of those old cardboard photos with the hand colored pink cheeks. I wonder if they are worth anything?
Who else watched this whole video because they were mesmerized by this woman. Something about her is so hot.
So.
It’s incredible how white he looks. The modern fatiguer should take note on how a respected black presented himself 150+ years ago. He would be ashamed of the regression his people have made with the gift of freedom the white man gave them.
Well it’s funny but until she mentioned it any thoughts about him being a black man didn’t enter my mind. Cool provenance.
What a handsome man.
Wow! What a wonderful find!
All that is extremely cool, but what is it worth? Please do a followup video, on the actual auction price, now that we know the history behind this beautiful piece of history and art.
Looks mixed, a black feller. Imagine if fathers were in the homes of blacks, this is how they’d present themselves once again. Three piece suits, respectful, respectable.
But is in color?!
😮🔥
Dagguerotypes have a very unique look. Very realistic as if you are looking through a window at a real scene. The process was very complicated though so they fell out of favor.
You lost me at “abolitionist”
All these years and no one even looked behind the picture!
Wow! Thank you!
Wow! A beautiful and intriguing find.