The plate was not part of any of the major, early collections and is probably not in existence anymore.

In this particular work Rembrandt has pictured himself as he is, complete with the thick, broad nose. It is, with B5 and B27 certainly one of the earliest of his self-portraits, probably made when he was still living in Leyden. The experimental stage of this work is reflected in the long, deep lines with which the dress is drawn. The decorated shirt is a 16th century one.

As is the case for several self-portraits from this early period, this etching is closely related to some works created around 1628-1629 like paintings in the Rijksmuseum (Corpus A14, dated c. 1628), the Alte Pinakotek (Corps A19, dated 1629) and the National Museum in Nurnberg (Corpus A21 copy 1, dated c. 1629). And drawings in the British Museum (Benesch 53) and the Rijksmuseum (Benesch 54). Biörklund points at a painting in reverse of 1630, formerly in Budapest (Bredius 9) and dates the etching in the same year, but Münz thinks that the pose and the lighting are too different to consider the date to be relevant.

There is a deceptive copy in the same direction, possibly by James Hazard, signed Rt in the upper right corner (70 x 56 mm). It is included in the Recueil de Basan, which is in the collection ‘Rembrandt in Black & White’, number 54. 

The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Singer.

All authors list one state only, NH lists two states. All states are contemporary.
In the 2nd state (NH) the waistcoat is filled in with a horizontal line, with several other lines added to the left of it.

Only two impressions of the 1st state (NH) are known, in the Rijksmuseum and in the Hermitage.
Impressions of the 2nd state are in the Fitzwilliam’s Museum (Cambridge, UK), the Bibliothèque Nationale, the Rothshild collection and the Graphische Sammlung in Frankfurt.

H 2A, BB 29-1, G 5, M 42, Mz 1, RA 10-11, Cl 4, W 4, Bl 208, Du 4, CD 3
Rembrandt by himself 1999, p. 92; Baas 2015, p. 26-27;