1840                Court Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts.[1]

Obadiah Rich was recorded in one advertisement that ran from April 14 to May 4, 1840 in the  Boston Daily Evening Transcript (Boston, Massachusetts).  Daguerreotype Plates made and for sale by O. Rich, Court Avenue.

The following information is from the Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, fourth edition.  Obadiah Rich was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1809 and died in 1888.  He worked as a silversmith in Boston first under the apprenticeship of Moses Morse.  In 1830 he went into business for himself; 1832-1835 in partnership with Samuel L. Ward; 1835-1850 in association with Jones, Low, and Ball.  “Was an outstanding craftsman who produced a number of exceptionally high quality presentation pieces during his career.”  His hallmark appears to have been an oval with concave sides, O Rich at the top, Boston on the bottom, and in the center a dragon.

Obadiah Rich is recorded in other photographic directories the information from Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, fourth edition may possibly help identify any plates in existence.

[1] A Directory Of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900.