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

Early in his career, between 1627 and 1629, Rembrandt used self-portraits to master the technique of etching and to experiment with light and shadow, as he did in his early paintings. This is one of those ‘test-pieces’. It is also clearly an example of the experiments in facial expressions. In this case a slightly sombre mood. Rembrandt re-used a cut-off portion of the plate for The flight into Egypt (B54, NHD 4). Which explains why, in the first two states, the head of a woman (Mary) is still visible (upside down) just above the head.

In the same period Rembrandt painted a small self-portrait on guilted copper, now in the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm (Corpus B5).

The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Coppier and Singer.

NH lists five states, most other authors list three, Wilson, Dutuit and Rovinsky four. Nowell-Usticke lists two trial proofs and two states. All states are contemporary.
The 1st state (NH, WB, R12/NU trial proof A) is the large plate with the (upside down) head of Mary visible, just right and above the head of Rembrandt.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB, R13/NU trial proof B) there is additional shading beneath the chin, the face is still visible.
In the 3rd state (NH, WB final, R14-15/1st state NU) the plate is reduced and cleaned, wiping out the head of Mary. There are several other small changes.
In the 4th state (NH/2nd state NU) a few curls are added to the hair and a zigzag stroke on the left shoulder.
In the 5th state (NH) parallel lines and cross-hatchings are added in the hair, reducing the highlight on top.

Of the 1st state (NU trial proof A) there is only one impression, in the Rijksmuseum.
Of the 2nd state (NU trial proof B) also only one impression is known, in the Bibliothèque Nationale (Rothschild Collection).
An impression of the 3rd state was sold at the Josefowitz auction with Christie’s London, 7 December 2023.

H 36, BB 30-13, G 6, M 19, Mz 10, RA 12-15, Cl 5, W 5, Bl 209, Du 5, CD 56
Rembrandt by himself 1999, p. 90-91; Baas 2015, p. 22-23;