Zip was the beloved bull terrier of Dr. Sumner Cummings of Portland. Family pets were as treasured in the 1840s as they are today, and their owners sought to capture their images by the newly discovered means of photography. This daguerreotype appears to be a companion piece to a portrait of Dr. Cummings. The Gold-tone octagon mat with pebble finish includes a scroll center motif designed by William Shew.