From humble beginnings in an antique shop, the Norman Mintz Daguerreotype Collection holds a group of singular and highly recognizable images of early American photography, including the frontispiece for The American Daguerreotype (the present lot), published in 1983 by authors and collectors Floyd and Marion Rinhart. In 1967, Norman Mintz opened Time Out Antiques just a few blocks away from New York City’s Gramercy Park. During its nine-year tenure, the small yet robust shop became a local staple specializing in Folk Art, Tiffany-style lighting, Victorian furniture, and, of course, daguerreotypes. The 1970s witnessed a major post-war rekindling of interest in the daguerreotype, and it was at this time that Mintz acquired an impressive cache of over five-thousand daguerreotypes. Many sold through the shop, however Mintz retained many significant works after Time Out Antiques closed in 1972, including a rare image of legendary chess player Paul Morphy. Now, over fifty years later, the foundation of the Mintz collection is offered here for the first time.