Who Is the Man In This 170-Year-Old Photo? How Sotheby's Rediscovered a Misjudged Masterpiece

When specialist Emily Bierman was shown an unidentified daguerreotype, she immediately sensed there was more to the story. Previously sold at auction with both the photographer and sitter listed as unknown, the remarkable portrait had been overlooked for what it truly was: a priceless piece of American history. A closer examination revealed a signature from pioneering daguerreotypist Philip Haas and, hidden inside the case, an inscription that unlocked the identity of the sitter: George Boyer Vashon, the first licensed African American attorney in New York State, a pioneering educator, abolitionist and influential advocate for civil rights. Discover how an overlooked photograph became a powerful rediscovery of American history.