Possibly the largest surviving, vintage daguerreotype plate in the world. Either a daguerreotype that has been rephotographed or possibly a daguerreotype print from a large negative. 'In March 1849, J.J.E. Mayall exhibited what he asserted were "the largest daguerreotype portraits ever taken in England". During this period, there were rival claims by other photographers that they had also made giant daguerreotypes. Mayall quickly placed an advertisement in 'The Times' re-iterating his declaration that he had produced "the largest daguerreotype portraits" and added drily, "As no other pictures have been taken in any degree approaching these in size, all recent advertised pretensions can only be intended to mislead the public." In 'The Times' newspaper of 1st July 1850, Mayall claimed that he could "take portraits from 30 inches in length down to the microscopic size." source http://spartacus-educational.com/DSmayall.htm The sitter bears a close resemblance to the self-portrait of Mayall shown on http://spartacus-educational.com/DSmayall.htm and it seems likely that this is another self-portrait taken seven years later.

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Possibly the largest surviving, vintage daguerreotype plate in the world. Either a daguerreotype that has been rephotographed or possibly a daguerreotype print from a large negative. 'In March 1849, J.J.E. Mayall exhibited what he asserted were "the largest daguerreotype portraits ever taken in England". During this period, there were rival claims by other photographers that they had also made giant daguerreotypes. Mayall quickly placed an advertisement in 'The Times' re-iterating his declaration that he had produced "the largest daguerreotype portraits" and added drily, "As no other pictures have been taken in any degree approaching these in size, all recent advertised pretensions can only be intended to mislead the public." In 'The Times' newspaper of 1st July 1850, Mayall claimed that he could "take portraits from 30 inches in length down to the microscopic size." source http://spartacus-educational.com/DSmayall.htm The sitter bears a close resemblance to the self-portrait of Mayall shown on http://spartacus-educational.com/DSmayall.htm and it seems likely that this is another self-portrait taken seven years later.