A photographic daguerreotype miniature. An oval head and shoulders portrait of Lieutenant Samuel Spencer, Royal Navy. Lt. Spencer is slightly looking to his right, and the hand-tinted gold epaulette on his right shoulder can be seen. He is wearing a high collar pale shirt with dark necktie under his uniform jacket with hand-tinted gold buttons.

The oval miniature is mounted as a pendant with a metal edge with a loop at the top and with glass on both sides. The reverse of the pendant has dark brown hair overlaid with gold initials, possibly SMS in copperplate.