In 1856, a photographer captured a man whose identity was forgotten; after selling in 2025 as an unknown sitter, the portrait was traced to New York's first licensed Black lawyer and sold for $230,400
- Vashon was known for his contributions to law, education and civil rights in US.
- (Photo:Sotheby's)A photograph that sold for just $882 at a New York auction last year has fetched $230,400 a year later after experts discovered the identity of the man pictured in it.
- The 170-year-old image, which had been listed as a portrait of an unknown man wearing spectacles, was identified as a photograph of George Boyer Vashon, the first licensed African American lawyer in New York State.
Unverified
- Vashon was known for his contributions to law, education and civil rights in US.
- (Photo:Sotheby's)A photograph that sold for just $882 at a New York auction last year has fetched $230,400 a year later after experts discovered the identity of the man pictured in it.
- The 170-year-old image, which had been listed as a portrait of an unknown man wearing spectacles, was identified as a photograph of George Boyer Vashon, the first licensed African American lawyer in New York State.
Sources: Times of India