Winning the lottery!!

No~ I don't gamble...but if I did, I should think that the way I felt when I found this little c1855 Ambrotype would be exactly how one would feel winning a million dollars in the lottery! I have collected and studied children's basket purses for years and years. I have over 100 examples of them here in the museum~ a good variety of different shapes, paint patterns & sizes. I am never so bold as to say I know everything about them....but I will say I probably know more than most.....and can absolutely prove that they are NOT! Chinese export baskets, but American American American! Certain shapes are more rare than others, some I have examples of in daguerreotype images that I don't have a physical specimen of....yet! I have seen boat shaped footed baskets with little tassels...I'd love to find one of those! Anyway, I'm rambling~ I was T*H*R*I*L*L*E*D* to death when I found this ambro, as it is a new shape I had not yet seen, and painted! Fragile as they are, quite a few have survived and can still be 'hunted' successfully. ( by the way, I am always interested in buying, if anyone should run across one I do also pay a finders fee...) Another reason of my liking this image so very much is her dress.....just look at that precious roller print! Most definitely printed on a lightweight challis. I adore early printed textiles....I start to humm the song from 'The Sound of music' when I think of them......'These are a few of my favorite things.....Printing on kerchiefs, and light printed aprons.....soft woolen dresses hand printed with flowers.....' you get the idea! I have some pictures of my favorites I will share with you, just as soon as Blogger will let me put them on!