size of case approx 2 x 2 1/2

The Dress Fabric & Cut: She is wearing a dark, bold plaid or checkered day dress. Plaid was immensely popular for women’s attire in the mid-to-late 1850s. If you look at her shoulders, you can see the distinct dropped armscye (shoulder seam), which created that sloped, elegant shoulder silhouette prized during the era.

The Collar: She has a crisp, white, scalloped or detached chemisette collar pinned right at the throat with a small, dark brooch.

The Hair: Her hair is parted sharply down the center and brushed smoothly down over her ears into a low bun or roll at the back. This smooth, austere look was the dominant style of the late 1850s, right before the massive, padded "Garibaldi" rolls and heavy chignons of the 1860's.

The Brass Mat: This is a beautiful elliptical/oval cutout mat with a "cross-hatch" or textured background design.

The Preserver: Notice the ornate, highly decorative brass rim wrapped around the outside edge of the mat. This is the "preserver," which was introduced in the mid-1850s to fold over the glass, mat, and image plate to help keep out air. The elaborate, leafy, and heavily embossed corner designs on this preserver are classic post-1855 style.

The Inscription Clue: If you look at the top right of the flat brass mat, there is actually some text stamped into the metal, though it's upside down or inverted in the frame

Many other case images are available