One of the most fascinating images we have handled in all our years. Spectacular, clear as a bell image of what we believe to be a baseball player. The straw hat he wears is the type worn by the New York Knickerbockers of the period. Best of all is a silk ribbon set into the hat band reading "Champion N..." backwards, as it would be a photographic image. He wears a spectacular uniform that has a baseball look to it, although the red tint opens an argument that it is a fireman. But the "Champion" with added "N" spells out a strong baseball possibility. Firemen did not wear straw hats and usually had numbers on their jerseys and this does not. Regardless of his occupation, this is undoubtedly an important image either way. There are virtually no baseball daguerreotypes known to exist, except for the smashing NY Knickerbockers daguerreotype in the Corey Shanus Collection, which came from us decades ago. This is the first daguerreotype we have considered close enough to enter the baseball race and further research will be a fascinating and potentially profitable course. 19th century plate daguerreotype in original leather case.