Joseph or not? Display of photo raises interest, doubts

"There's no way it's Joseph Smith," Bauman said. He believes it looks more like a late 1840s or early 1850s daguerreotype. He also said the photo has a plate mark on it that came later than 1840.

Dennis Waters, a New Hampshire man who has studied and collected daguerreotypes for more than 20 years, said it would be impossible for the image to be Smith.

"I'm laughing," Waters said in a phone interview, as he looked at a copy of the image. "I've looked at 15,000 daguerreotype plates, and this plate could not have been taken before 1848. This could not possibly be Joseph Smith."

Waters said the man looks too young, and the style of his clothing would indicate the picture was taken years after Smith's. He also said there weren't any daguerreotypists capable of producing such a high-quality image in the places Smith would have been in the years leading up to his death.

Waters' Web site — www.finedags.com — offers a good look at the evolution of the quality of daguerreotype photography, both collectors said.

The LDS Church issued an official statement March 19 seeking to lessen speculation about the daguerreotype, which is owned by the Community of Christ.

Some news reports last month suggested the photograph may be of Smith, but neither the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) nor the LDS Church has vouched for the authenticity of the image, which has been in the Community of Christ archives since the mid-1990s.

"On the basis of available evidence it is not possible to confirm that the image is, in fact, of Joseph Smith," the LDS Church statement from March 19 said, adding that speculation and claims about whether church officials "have verified or are verifying its authenticity — are not true."

The release further stated the church "does not have or own this photograph or any image of Joseph Smith other than several early artists' portrayals of him and some early photographs of those portrayals. The church does have the death mask of Joseph Smith."

Wednesday's open house also featured a new documentary, "Picturing Joseph," by Nick Galieti, as well as new paintings of Joseph Smith by Ken Corbett.

Tracy will appear at a second book signing at Eborn's office, 3607 Washington Blvd., in Ogden, from 5 to 7 p.m. today. His new, 264-page book sells for $39.99.

For more information about the new book and documentary, go to ebornbooks.com.

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Contributing: Aaron Falk

E-mail: lynn@desnews.com