Catalog (971)

A charming portrait miniature, done in watercolors on natural wafer, of a young woman in a low-cut blue dress with sleeves decorated with pearl buttons, and a sheer white fichu fastened with a black pin. Her black hair is covered by an elaborate white lace bonnet and she is wearing large gold earrings and a gold chain tucked into her sash. Presented in an ebonized frame.

The miniature is signed "R.C. Woolnough" and dated July 1816 on the backing paper. This is very interesting as there is ext...

A finely rendered miniature portrait of a boy, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is wearing a black jacket, vest, and bowtie, with a white shirt with a gold stud.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no issues. The cast foliate case is also in fine condition, engraved on the reverse with the initials "T.W." and a cutting of hair in the glazed aperture.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Harrison Scarborough (1812-1871) was born in Tennessee to parents whose family origins ...

A charming miniature portrait, on natural wafer, of an attractive young woman decked out in the latest hairdo and height of fashion (well, for the time when the portrait was done). An excellent example of naïve portraiture.

The painting is in wonderful condition, with no issues. The period gilt wood frame has some expected and fairly unobtrusive wear but in person looks much better than it appears in the photo. Sight size of the painting is 3" by 2 1/2", with a framed size of 4 5/8" by 4 1/8...

A superb portrait miniature, painted by Nathaniel Rogers in watercolor on natural material. A note inside the case identifies the sitter as Charles B. Meek. Research has found that he lived in Canandaigua, Ontario, NY. Mr. Meek, a very handsome young gentleman, is posed sitting on a red chair, wearing a black jacket, with white waistcoat, shirt, and stock. The fine skill of Rogers is evident in the detailed luminosity of the face, the shadowing in the clothing, and the overall visual impact of t...

A fine portrait miniature of a handsome gentleman painted on natural wafer by Henry Inman. The sitter is wearing a black jacket and stock, and a white waistcoat, shirt, and collar. Displayed in a cast foliate case with the reverse having a glazed aperture with a cast foliate surround and containing a lock of hair.

The painting is in excellent condition with no issues to note. The case is also in fine fettle, although the reverse could use a bit of cleaning. At some point mounts for a broo...

A beautifully executed miniature done by Benjamin Trott in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, ethereally painted against a light bluish and peach background, is an attractive blue eyed young lady wearing gold and ruby earrings and a pale peach gown with a ruffled neck and a blue sash.

Although it is clear, based on the style and artistic techniques, that the painting was done by Trott, a fragment of one of his business cards was also found in the case the miniature is housed in.

The c...

A fine example of early American folk art. Generally classed as fraktur type, paintings such as these were done by children, and were often, as this one was, painted on a page from a ledger or notebook. This particular piece is a charming depiction of an eagle, and is housed in a period frame with good surface.

The painting is in very good condition, with good color, and no tears or creases. It does have some very common spots of discoloration which might well have been there since the paint...

A miniature portrait by M.E. Mynerts (also referenced as W.E. Mynerts). Glazed and housed in a cast foliate case measuring 2 3/4" by 2 3/8", with an unglazed aperture on the reverse containing a braid of hair. The overall condition of the painting is excellent, with no cracks, chips, bowing, or restoration. The case is also in excellent condition.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Very little is known about Mynerts, and his miniatures are quite rare, with only one signed example found. However, his style...

A fine pottery dark blue and white Staffordshire platter, transfer printed in the "Birds and Fruit" pattern. Unmarked except for an impressed "12" on the reverse, but attributed to John Hall & Sons, Burslem, England.

The central scene features two birds amidst a panoply of fruit, including pears, strawberries, blackberries, grapes, etc. The cavetto and wide rim has a border of flowers and foliage.

The color of this platter is a deep, clear blue, with no blurriness, and with the desired ...

An Alfred T. Agate watercolor on natural substrate of a nicely featured gentleman. The sitter is attired in a black jacket with black stock and a white vest and shirt. Housed in a cast foliate case with a ringlet of hair in the glazed compartment verso.

Condition of the painting and the case is excellent, with no flaws to speak of. Sight size is 2 1/4" by 1 3/4", and the case size is 2 1/2" by 2 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:

Alfred Agate (1812-1846, born in Sparta, N.Y. was the younger ...

A nice naïve portrait of a woman, painted in watercolors on organic wafer. The sitter is simply presented in a black dress with lace edging at the bodice. An interesting twist is the fragment of a business card in the back of the case. It says "Painter ***wich City CT" (Norwich City). The artist attribution has been made based on a signed example provided by Brad Crisler, shown in photos 3 and 4, and is unmistakable based on technique and the location of Norwich City.

The condition of the pai...

A nice Chamberlain Worcester porcelain dish of gadrooned and gilded edge form, the ground color in a deep apple green, and the center featuring a bouquet of various flowers. Marked on the reverse with "Chamberlain Worcester" in red.

The overall length is 13 1/2" with a width of 9 1/2". Condition is excellent, with no chips, cracks, or restoration. As is not uncommon in this period, there is overall faint craquelure.

A miniature portrait painting by Abraham Parsell, done in his recognizable style with a multicolored background and the sitter having somewhat frizzy hair, posed with his arm on a chair. Housed in its original cast foliate frame with a glazed rear aperture. The original leather travel case comes with this piece, although it has separated at the hinge and held in place with a safety pin.

The painting is 2 3/4" by 2 1/4". Condition is excellent with no cracks, bowing, paint loss or restoration...

A fine portrait painted by Thomas E. Barratt using watercolor on organic substrate. (In person this work displays much better than the photographs show.)

Aside from the quality and relative rarity of the painting, what makes this offering truly special is the casework. The case is gold and gold on silver and hinges so that the miniature is enclosed on both sides by the metal. The front and back are done with different guilloche (engine turned)designs. Both sides of the case are the same color...

An extremely fine John Wood Dodge miniature portrait, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is a very handsome hazel-eyed young gentleman dressed in a white shirt and collar, with a black coat and osbaldeston cravat. The backing paper of the miniature is signed by Dodge as follows: "Painted by John W. Dodge Miniature Painter 42 Franklin St. New York Sept. 30th, 1836 Geo. C. Miller".

The miniature, as would be expected of Dodge's work, is superbly executed, and has no cracks, bo...

A fine John Wesley Jarvis portrait miniature of a woman wearing a white mob cap and a modest white dress with lace collar and bow, the sitter presented against a stippled blue background. Housed in a period replacement red leather travel case with a somewhat illegible and later label on the back stating "Miniature of...Caldwell (Rachel Bishop?)...of...Pauses Webb."

The painting, with no bowing, cracks, or fading, is in very good condition. The sight size is 2 3/4" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHI...

A fine watercolor on natural wafer, signed lower left by Hyacinthe Mercier and dated 1813. The sitter is an attractive young woman posed in front of a column with a landscape featuring a church in the background. Presented in the original frame.

No condition issues, with a diameter of 2 3/4" and a framed size of 5 1/2" by 5 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Mlle Hyacinth Mercier worked as a miniaturist in Paris, living at 27 rue Neuve Saint Rochet. She exhibited at the Salon in 1808 and 1810. H...

An interesting pair of miniature portraits, painted on organic wafer. Framed in a slightly different manner, there is no question these were done by the same artist at the same time.

Fairchild is an obscure artist, with very few, if any, signed works. This attribution is based on the similarity in technique to an example in a book by Bolton, and information that the pair came from a couple living in CT who are purportedly descendants of the artist.

No condition issues to speak of, with...