Antique French Photo Technique, Enamel on Convex Plaque, 1/2 Plate Daguerreotype Choisy le Roi All of the sterling tops

All of the sterling tops bear the French Minerve or Minerva hallmark

entirely hand carved of wood

and the small wax seal that attends it has a nip or two on the unengraved matrix

and how these were worn

Brilliantly arranged blond locks

Antique French Photo Technique, Enamel on Convex Plaque, 1/2 Plate Daguerreotype Choisy le Roi All of the sterling topsThese are rare! There was a rather short period in time when early photographers were being innovative, following Daguerre's invention of the first form of photography in 1839, "daguerreotype", which consisted of a single one of a kind image in emulsion on silver layer on a copper or silver plate very fragile and extremely clear and crisp, it rendered the portrait miniature industry superfluous, really. It was soon followed by the next big thing: an