Completely wonderful and really quite magical feeling, this is a mid 19th c. hand-colored ruby ambrotype of a portrait painting, the subject of which a handwritten note on the inside of the case identifies as a young Sarah Ann Sheibley, painted by her school teacher at the Sheaffer School: a Samuel Weidler Jr. A bit of searching turns up a several Sarah A. Sheibleys of Pennsylvania, and a few Weidlers who were teachers, and I believe the Sheaffer school to be located in Ephrata, PA (though there is a Schaeffer school in Lancaster County as well.) At any rate, Pennsylvania I am certain, and what a wonderful portrait of a poised and widely smiling Sarah, book in hand, landscape and dramatic cloud filled behind her, and hand-colored flowers at her shoulder and more to the right of her hand. I love the slight off centeredness of it too, with vertical beam of the porch or terrace just to her right. A million times better in person and I think just marvelous.

(Ambrotypes are positive one-of-a-kind images, on clear glass, and need black backing in order to be seen. Ruby glass ambrotypes are the exception, as they are on colored glass, and don’t need black backing.)

Sixth plate ruby ambrotype in full case with new tape on the spine. Very very good condition, with one black spot in the sky and a line on the right lower side of her dress. Closed case measures 3 1/8" x 3 5/8".