This quite striking 1850s occupational ambrotype shows a no-nonsense bartender or tavernkeeper seated next to a table on which rests his stock in trade: a full, pewter tankard of beer with a good head on it. Our host is solidly built, and is in business attire with a fashionable long tie knotted at his throat, wears a black vest over his white, long-sleeved shirt, which he has rolled up slightly on each arm, and wears a practical white apron, another symbol of his trade, at his waist. He is shown from the knees up, rests one rather beefy hand on his thigh and the other on the table next to him, which is rather incongruously decorated with an openwork, tatted tablecloth. The photographer has blacked out the background to place his subject in relief, and just lightly tinted his cheeks, perhaps the back of his hands, and a bit of the head on the beer, which is likely a bit of photographic artistry, but is very convincing.

The image is a 6^th plate, matted, glassed and cased in a hanging frame showing some wear to its leatherette covering, but with the suspension ring in place. Our man has a serious look on his face- not quite the welcoming look we prefer to see upon walking into a refreshment saloon- likely dictated more by the conventions of photographic portraits at the time than anything else, but he certainly looks like he could handle any trouble from an obstreperous customer with one-too-many tankards under his belt.  [sr][ph:L]

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