This sixth-plate daguerreotype sold for $40,000 (hammer price) at last year’s Daguerreian Society auction.
Have any high-quality images that you're ready to part with? Need some extra cash? Have a treasure that you'd like marketed to a targeted audience of passionate collectors?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, The Daguerreian Society is here to help!
The Society is seeking consignments and donations for its annual Benefit Auction, to be held on October 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C., during the annual Symposium.
Each year, the auction brings exceptional material before a highly focused audience of collectors, dealers, curators, and scholars of early photography. For consignors, it offers a unique opportunity to place important objects in front of an engaged and knowledgeable market.
A Targeted Market for Exceptional Material
The auction will feature:
- Daguerreotypes
- Ambrotypes and tintypes
- Early paper photographs
- Fine contemporary daguerreotypes
- Related material connected to the history of photography
Higher-value items—particularly those above $2,000—have historically performed especially well in this setting.
In last year’s auction, a remarkable daguerreotype realized $40,000 (hammer price), underscoring the strength of the market for exceptional works.
Part of a Larger Gathering
The auction takes place during the Society’s three-day Symposium, which brings together a global community of:
- Collectors and dealers
- Museum professionals and curators
- Conservators and scholars
- Artists working in historical processes
The program includes presentations, behind-the-scenes visits to major institutional collections, and a Photo Fair open to the public, creating a dynamic and informed environment for buying and selling.
Supporting the Society’s Mission
Proceeds from the auction support the Daguerreian Society’s nonprofit mission: to inform and inspire members, foster a sense of community, and advance the scholarship and preservation of 19th-century photography.
Whether you have a single important piece or a group of works, the Society welcomes your submission.
Early submission is recommended, particularly for higher-value material.
If you have high-quality material you’re ready to part with—or a work you would like to place with a discerning audience, this is an ideal venue.
