Very rare 'Napoleonic' daguerreotype portrait of a Waterloo veteran.

A daguerreotype reproduction of a 19th century engraving. The portrait is laterally reversed what means that the daguerreotypist did not use a correcting prism. It's very rare to find early photographs with a straight link to the Napoleonic era. Because en-very daguerreotype is a unique object, it's rather unusual to copy a mass produced engraving.

6th plate housed in a worn half case.
ca. 1860

The daguerreotype is professionally resealed using low-iron glass. Matt abrasions. Second photo of engraving for reference only.

Literature:
[This information is credited by 'ageofrevolution.org', engraving from the Black Watch Museum]

This delightful engraving of an anonymous Scots soldier was sketched and produced in Paris during the occupation of France by the Allies in 1815. The head and shoulders portrayal of the soldier is somewhat romantic and clearly illustrates the fascination of the local Parisians with the kilted warriors (the 42nd 79th and 92nd Regiments of Foot) who had fought at Waterloo.

The original drawing, sketched from life, was produced by a certain Charlotte Laby, and the subsequent engraving was carried out by Monsieur Bertrand of no. 9, Rue de Savoie, in Paris.

The subject has a clean, youthful and attractive appearance with boyish curly hair and ribbons and feather plume attached to his Kilmarnock bonnet. The regiment is not known from his uniform but since the engraving is housed in the museum of the Black Watch in Perth he may have been a soldier of the 42nd Regiment. [ageofrevolution.org]

During Napoleon’s final campaign of 1815 both the 42nd and the 73rd which were to become respectively the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Black Watch played significant parts. They were first in action together at Quatre Bras on the 16th of June where they were hard pressed by French cavalry. Mistaking them for allies the 42nd had not time to form a defensive square and had a tough fight repulsing them. Two days later at the Battle of Waterloo it was the 73rd which was in the thickest of the fighting and subject to heavy losses from the French cannon. [Black Watch Museum]