Catalog: Fine Art: Paintings: Miniatures (328)

A wonderful pair of miniature portraits of two young near identical twin boys, painted on organic material. Although it might often be a decent bet that any attractive English portraits of young children done in this time period were by William Egley (joking, sort of) I cannot, in good conscience, make that attribution, so the artist will, at least for now, remain unidentified.

Possibly Scottish, and in excellent condition, each portrait has a sight size of 1 7/8" by 1 1/2"...

A rare miniature portrait by Leopold Unger, painted with watercolors on organic wafer. The sitter, a very attractive blue-eyed young woman with brown hair done in sausage curls, has a wistful or slightly sad expression on her face and in her eyes. She is in a black dress with black lace edging at the bodice, and is sitting in a brownish-red chair, holding a red book, and with a multicolored scarf draped over her arm.

The miniature is signed "P. Unger. px. 1839" along the lower left...

A beautiful French portrait miniature signed "Mie Bost" center right by Mélanie Bost. The sitter is a young girl in a white lace dress with blue ribbons at the shoulders, her hair parted down the center. Presented in a gold frame with a red glass over guilloche work surround, with small pearls to the exterior border. The reverse with a mother-of-pearl back and a gilt metal pin...

A nice miniature painting done by Christopher Greiner. The sitter is a gentleman in a black coat and tie, but Greiner emphasized the somber feel of the painting by using a background of black and dark green.

The painting has no condition flaws, and is housed in a cast foliate pendant case with hair in the glazed aperture on the back...

A well painted miniature painting, on natural organic material, by Theodore V. Peticolas. The sitter, from Cincinnati, is a handsome young man in a black coat with a white shirt and a stickpin. This painting was part of a pair belonging to the family, the other one of which was signed and dated by Peticolas. The beautiful gilt brass repousse frame is somewhat earlier, being from c1830.

The miniature is in fine condition, with no chips, cracks or bowing...

A wonderful and charming pair of portrait miniatures by Moses B. Russell, housed in their original matching gold-filled engine turned cases, each with the sitter's hair in the reverse aperture.

The beautiful young woman, with blue eyes and dark brown hair, is wearing a royal blue dress trimmed with lace at the bodice. Signed on the backing paper "Painted by MB Russell 1843 This Paper to Stay On," and in pencil "Susan E. Cushing Taken When 17 years of age"...

A lovely and ethereal miniature of a blond-haired, blue-eyed beautiful young girl. Signed center left "T.R. Manley 1900", it is in its original gilt sterling case with a beaded edge, with the reverse appearing to be evenly tarnished. Excellent condition with no problems, and measuring 3 1/4" by 2 3/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE : Thomas Rathbone Manley (1853 - 1938), later referred to as "The Dean of the Montclair (NJ) Artists"...

A beautifully executed miniature portrait painting of a young gent, signed and dated "JH Kimberly Pinxt New York March 1844". It is in its original foliate cast case, measuring 2 3/4" by 2 5/16".

The miniature is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, paint loss, or restoration...

A wonderful example of a portrait miniature painted by Mrs. Moses B. Russell (nee Clarissa Peters). This work, done in watercolors on natural wafer, is of a blue-eyed woman wearing a black dress with a brooch centered at the lace-edged bodice. Her strong visage, looking directly into eyes of the viewer, is offset by a beautiful and soft multi-colored background...

An unusual and spectacular pair of portrait miniatures. Although both are signed by Moses B. Russell, it is almost certain, due to slight technique variances, that the portrait of the woman was done by Mrs. Moses B. Russell, nee Clarissa Peters. Although it is known that some of his signed pieces were, in fact, done by her, I know of no other instance where each artist did one of a pair.

The paintings are in excellent condition, with vibrant colors and no cracks, bowing, mold, retouch, ...

A beautifully painted miniature portrait on ivory, signed and dated lower left "Gerald S. Hayward 1882". The sitter is an attractive young woman wearing a diamond necklace and white gown. The background is white clouds against a blue sky. This, taken with the 1883 date of the painting contrasting with the engraved 1884 date on the reverse of the cast foliate case (along with the sitter's initials of F.L.A.) would be a strong indication that this is a mourning painting, done in the year prior to ...

A fine portrait miniature, painted on natural wafer, by Julius Rubens Ames. The sitter is a gray-eyed gentleman of serious demeanor, attired in a black coat and vest with a white shirt and tie. Presented in a cast foliate case with a glazed aperture on the reverse. Also housed in a red leather, probably original, travel case.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no flaws to speak of. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Julius Rubens Ames was born in Albany, NY ...

A powerful watercolor on wafer miniature, where the artist decided to show the sitter staring head-on and almost directly at the viewer. The unusual crisscross tie is used to further enhance the strength and immediacy of the handsome subject.

The simple gilt metal case is 2 3/8" by 2", and is in excellent condition, with a missing cover glass to the aperture on the reverse, which is of no import.

A nice portrait miniature of a handsome young clergyman, posed in front of drapery at his true right side. The painting is in a bronze surround set into a period ebonized wood frame. Excellent condition with a sight size of 3 1/4" by 2 1/2" and a frame size of 7" by 6 1/4".

A wonderfully done naïve portrait of an older woman identified on the reverse as Almira Coolidge of Boston. The 3/4 length depiction shows the sitter holding a handkerchief and wearing a lace trimmed white bonnet, white lace fichu, and a red scarf over a black puff-sleeve dress with gold buttons. The background is nicely done in a striated and shaded blue-gray. Presented in a gilt metal frame.

This painting was part of the important and well-known Gregory collection offered at Sotheby's on 1/...

A finely done miniature portrait painting by Joseph Wood. Although unsigned, there is no question that this fine rendering of a young woman was done by Wood.

Sight size of this nice example is 2 1/4" by 1 13/16", and the period case is 2 1/2" by 2 1/16". The condition of the painting is excellent, with vibrant coloring, and no chips, cracks, or restoration. The period case (and glass) is in excellent condition, but it is missing the back, a replacement for which which can be made.

Joseph...

A charming and unusual Continental portrait miniature, painted in watercolors on natural wafer. Except for a very small number of miniaturists, and occasional examples by other miniaturists, the full profile format is quite rare. In this example the sitter is wearing a blue dress, gold earring, and a pearl necklace. Of obvious impression on the viewer is a very large white head covering, with yellow decoration, of a type that cannot quite be called a bonnet or hat.

The painting is presente...

Nicely executed miniature, on natural organic material, of a woman in bonnet and lace; enamelled frame; sight size 2 1/4" by 1 3/4"; slight paint rubbing at 5 o'clock