Argonaut Museum

This photo is dated March 1854 on a slip of paper held between the pages of the book on the table.

The lady wears a fan front dress with tightly fitting drop sleeves. She has a small gold and gem brooch holding the embroidered net lace collar closed at the throat. She wears a shiny-fabric apron, likely a silk taffeta - you can just see her dress skirt at the far left of the picture. The apron does not have a bib section. She wears no ring on her left hand.

Beetle Micromosaic Stickpin: Polychrome stones set in adhesive on a gold bezel.
Insects are a common Victorian motif in jewelry. Micromosaics were common souvenirs from Italy of the Grand Tour (along with lava cameos). This example, set in gold is about the size of a dime.