Antique 1859 Salt Print Photograph by Washington Lafayette Germon of Philadelphia PA hot Identified as Margaret Buchanan--George R. Buchanan

Oval salt print photograph (just over 8 ½” by 10 ½”) in original frame (9 ¾” by 11 ¾”) of Margaret Buchanan of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Washington Lafayette Germon of Philadelphia, circa late 1850s. The three quarter seated view, identified on the reverse as Margaret Buchanan, shows a middle aged or older woman posing for her likeness in a photographic studio. She wears a dark colored taffeta dress with white lace collar and cuffs, a white bonnet or cap, and black lace fingerless gloves. Her hair is done up in sausage curls. The ink writing on the old Dennison label on the back board reads Margaret Russell married John Buchanan, mother of Geo. R. Buchanan, Great Grandmother or Mable and Florence Buchanan, she later married White. Born in Philadelphia, George Russell Buchanan (1849-1906) was the son of George R. Buchanan (1816-1874) and the father of Mable and Florence. His father was a brickmaker in the city in 1870 and gave his occupation simply as Agent in 1850. I can't pin down the identity of Margaret Buchanan, or her husband John, with any certainty. Margaret might be the Margaret Becker White (1794-1880) who was the third wife of Edward White, buried in the Old Cathedral Cemetery. She hot would have been about sixty five years old if this photograph was made in 1858 or 1859. There is a blind stamp mark on the mount just below the photograph that reads Germon, 702 Chest. St., Phila. Washington Lafayette Germon was working at that location beginning about 1855. I believe this photograph is a salt print, perhaps done with the calotype process. The image has lines and textures that remind me of paper, and there is some fine cracquelure on the surface. The photograph is in good to very good condition with only very minor wear and soiling. There's some minor foxing on the front of the mount and much more on the back (where there was a missing piece of backboard at top especially). For an early salt print, it exhibits good or better tonal range and shows good or better detail. I believe the gold painted oval frame is original, as too is likely the glass and the backboard. The frame is in good or better condition with no major damage. A great early American portrait image by a pioneering photographer!