Catalog: Fine Art: Paintings (339)

A fine and charming portrait miniature with an unusual and exceptional reverse. The sitter is a sweet woman painted in an ethereal manner. She is wearing pearl earrings and a cream gown with a pair of roses at the low point of the neckline. There is a lace fichu with a double blue line at the border...

A miniature portrait painting, watercolor on natural wafer, done by Mary Ann Knight at her best. The sitter is a very young woman with large and contemplative grayish-blue eyes and long brown hair with a jeweled ornament. She is dressed in the Grecian style in a blue gown with low decolletage topped with a draped diaphanous yellow scarf with a centered brooch...

A truly lovely and engaging portrait miniature, on natural wafer, of a beautiful young woman. The subject, attired in a green velvet dress with a black cape and a white fichu, is seated in front of an orange drapery with a view of a landscape. The framing of this gem is of fine construction, with an inner gold plated frame that is easily removable (and replaced) if a smaller overall size is desired...

A very fine miniature of a young lady, done in watercolor on organic wafer. Signed lower right "Becker Px". The sitter is a wearing a gown with elaborate bows along the neckline and sleeves, and a pink sash. The glassless gilded wood frame is original to the painting.

There is a good amount of information on the back, some of which is missing or hard to make out...

A nicely done late 18th century miniature of a woman wearing a blue dress and white fichu, her powdered hair with an interwoven white ribbon. Presented in a gilt bracelet clasp mount. Excellent condition with an overall size of 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

A fine example of an Abraham Parsell watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, with brown hair and hazel eyes, is dressed in a black coat and cravat and a white shirt with gold stickpin. The background is done in the multi-color style typical of Parsell's work, as is the sketch on the reverse of the wafer.

The 2 3/8" by 2" sight size miniature is housed in a cast foliate case with a glazed lens on the reverse...

A miniature portrait painting by Abraham Parsell, done in his recognizable style with somewhat frizzy hair, and the sitter posed with his arm on a chair. Housed in its original cast foliate frame with a rear aperture containing a lock of hair.

The painting is 2 5/16" by 1 7/8", while the overall locket size is 2 1/2" by 2 1/8"...

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...

This is a rather large portrait miniature done in body color and watercolor on ivory. The signature on the lower right is "P(or T)ouktuz Sta??er". The signature and attire indicate the painting was probably done by an Eastern European or Russian artist. The subject of this 19th century work is an attractive young girl from a wealthy family, based on the expensive clothing (the fur coat, gloves, hat, and boots)...

A fine miniature portrait by Jeremiah Meyer, painted in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, an attractive woman with long brown hair, is simply presented in a teal gown, with no jewelry or other distractions from her natural beauty.

The painting has no cracks, chips, bowing, or restoration. The brass case is in fine condition with an unimportant dent in the back. The overall size is 1 7/8" by 1 5/8"...

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 nicely done miniature portrait, on natural organic material, of an attractive young woman. The sitter is wearing a white dress, a black necklace and earrings, and an upswept hairdo. The painting is housed in its blue velvet travel case, with a glass cover.

Condition is excellent, with no problems. The sight size is 2" by 1 1/2", and the closed case size is 3" by 2 1/2".

A very nice watercolor painting on natural wafer. The sitter is a beautiful young girl with hazel eyes and brown hair, simply dressed in a bluish gray gown with lace edging at the bodice.

The painting is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, bowing, or restoration. The original pressed brass frame with wood backing, and has some dents and a crease, which do not take away from the appearance. Sight size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", with the framed size being 3 3/4" by 3".

A c1795 continental miniature of a gent who looks somewhat disgruntled, possibly with the waistcoat with blue polka dots and the black jacket with pearl buttons that his wife picked out for him. The reverse of the painting has a "B" embroidered on pink silk fabric. Both the front and back have beveled glass. The diameter of the gilt metal case is 2".

A charming pair of portraits of a brother and sister, painted in watercolor on natural material.

The condition of both paintings is excellent, with no issues. The gold case is also without problems. Sight size is 2 1/8" by 1 3/4", and the overall size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8".

An unusual family grouping of three miniature portraits on organic wafers. All pieces, clearly done by the same hand (as yet unidentified), have a wonderful "feel" to them and are cleanly executed...

A nicely painted portrait miniature on natural organic wafer. The sitter is a gentleman dressed in a black jacket and stock, with a white shirt and vest, set against a background which shades from light blue to a darker blue hue. Housed in its original cast foliate case with a glazed rear aperture containing a circlet of hair.

The condition of the painting is excellent with no cracks, chips, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The case is in good condition with the back of it showing wear and ...

A nicely painted American portrait miniature on organic wafer. The fine looking gentleman is nicely set off against a background of blue on the left side and a light brown on the right. Condition is excellent with no cracks, bowing, or paint loss. The case size is 2 1/8" by 1 5/8".

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 very fine American portrait miniature painting, on natural organic material, of a young man attired in the latest fashion of his period, wearing a brown vest and velvet collar coat.

The miniature is 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches sight size and the deep purple velvet-lined thermoplastic case it is in is 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches. The piece is in superb condition, with no cracks, chips, bowing, or inpainting. The case, with its gilt brass liner, has only a tiny nick at one point on the edge and is ...

A nicely painted and early miniature portrait of a man done in watercolor on natural organic material. The blue-eyed sitter is a nice-looking gentleman fashionably attired in a full, long wig, a blue loose fitting robe, and white ruffled shirt.

One of the interesting things about this piece is that the original gold case is of a type known as a "slide case". The top protuberance is attached to a small sheet of metal (in this case gold), and when a little knob is pushed, the sheet can slide com...

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 wonderful miniature by Daniel Dickinson of a handsome gentleman. The sitter is dressed in the height of fashion for the time, wearing a blue jacket with velvet lapels. Note the broadness of the brush strokes and chiseled modeling of the face, both characteristics of Daniel's style, contrasting with his brother Anson's work.

The frame deserves special mention, being gilt silver with a 14K gold back and central plaque with "AM" initials. It is quite thick and weighs about 3 1/2 ounces. The...

A beautifully painted miniature portrait, on natural organic material, with an attribution to Pauline Augustin. The sitter, a young gentleman of strong presence with brown eyes and long flowing brown hair, is attired in a black coat, with white stock, vest, and shirt. The photograph does not do any justice to the quality of this piece.

The sight size is 4 5/8" by 4" and the framed size is 7 1/4" by 6 5/8". The condition is excellent with no issues or flaws. Housed in a later burlwood and ebon...

A striking miniature portrait, done in watercolor on natural material, by George Place. The subject, set against a clouded and blue background, is a handsome gray haired officer of light dragoons, dressed in uniform.

The miniature is in superb condition, with no cracks, chips, warping, paint loss, or restoration. The case is also in excellent condition, with a fully glazed back over fabric. On the back glass, at the edge at 10:30 there is a small chip in the underside. The case size is 3" by...

A beautifully done Horace Hone portrait, painted on natural wafer, signed and dated "HH 1782" on the right. The sitter might well be Mary, Viscountess Dillon, as she bears a great resemblance to another portrait Hone did of her. Whether this is the case or not, the subject of this miniature is a striking blue-eyed woman, with a coquettish mien to her. Her hair is styled elaborately, her eyes are shadowed with blue, and she is wearing a very low-cut blue gown trimmed with white edging over a prom...

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...

A signed Hyacinthe Mercier miniature portrait, painted on natural wafer. The beautifully rendered sitter is a pleasant looking woman wearing a lace bonnet with lavender and light blue bows, and a dark blue robe or gown. "Mercier 1824" in script along the right side.

The painting is in excellent condition, with some rough edges which do not show while the piece is in its period bronze frame. Sight size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", with a frame size of 2 3/4" by 2 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Mlle Hy...

A watercolor on natural wafer, painted by John Cox Dillman Engleheart. The sitter is a handsome gentleman dressed in a black jacket, white shirt, and gray tie. The glazing on the fron of the case has an eglomise border, with the glazed reverse of the case having opalescent glass on top of which is hairwork fastened with a pearl band and gold threads.

The condition of the painting is excellent, as is that of the case. The hairwork on the reverse has some disturbances. Sight size is 2" by 1 5/8...

A beautiful portrait miniature, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is a lovely young woman wearing a large and striking turban and a lace fichu over a light apricot dress. A brooch below her bodice echoes the circular motif on the turban.

Housed in its original bronze case with a diameter of 3 1/4". Both the case and the painting are in excellent condition. A striking addition to any7 collection.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Guido Reni was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, althou...

A strong watercolor on organic wafer portrait of a British staff officer. With his mutton-chop whiskers, he is dressed in the well-known red jacket, and sports gold epaulettes. The painting is housed in a wonderful gilt bronze brooch with a guilloche silver back, which displays a nicely tied curl of hair under a glazed aperture.

Sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4", with an overall size of 1 3/4" by 1 1/2". The condition of the painting and the case is excellent, with no issues at all. The white fle...

A watercolor portrait, on natural wafer, of a handsome gentleman attired in a black jacket and vest with a pale pink cravat. Housed in a very heavy and well-made brass case with the reverse side being fully glazed over fabric.

The condition of the painting and the case is excellent, with no flaws. The white dots and background color variations are just due to exterior dust and light reflections. Overall size is 2 7/8" by 2 3/8".

A well painted portrait miniature, on organic wafer, of a blue eyed gentleman wearing a deep blue coat, white ascot, shirt, and vest. Presented in a brass frame.

The condition is excellent, with no issues to speak of. The reddish area on the edge from 9:00 to 12:00 is due to light reflection. The painting appears much better in person than the photo shows. Framed size is 2 1/2" by 2".

A nicely painted waist length portrait, done on organic material, of an attractive woman with dark brown eyes and hair. The sitter, posed in front of a reddish-brown drape, is wearing a black gown with a lace collar cinched with a brooch matching her earrings. A gold chain with two pendants completes her outfit. Presented in a later gilt frame.

The painting is in excellent condition with no issues. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 2" and the framed size is 5 1/2" by 4 1/2".

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 pair of watercolor on natural wafer paintings of a nice looking couple, set against a clouded blue background, a motif often used by the artist. Each miniature is signed, in the lower right, with the conjoined initials HB, for Henry Jacob Burch. The paintings are set in period ebonized wood frames.

Condition of the paintings and frames is excellent. Sight size of each is 2 3/4" by 2 3/16", and the framed size is 5 1/8" by 4 3/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Henry Jacob Burch was born in London in 1...

A pair of oil on card paintings, each signed lower left, by C. Ph. Weber. The first is of a church and churchyard behind a rock wall. The second depicts fishing along the Delaware river. Typical of the artist's work is the fine use of light and color, rendering an almost impressionistic feel.

Condition of the paintings is very good, with no damage or restoration. There are some scattered minor areas of surface dirt on the fishing scene, which could easily be cleaned without harming the painti...

A superb enamel on copper miniature portrait by Jean Andre Rouquet. The sitter, wearing a powdered wig and a blue velvet jacket and waistcoat, displays a fine English gravitas.

The miniature is presented under glass in a high karat (15K or higher) gold case, the reverse of which is engraved with a half flowerhead above what appears to be the initials BEE. Below this is an engraved bee.

The condition of the miniature is excellent, with bright colors, no paint loss or cracks, and no restorat...

A miniature painting, watercolor on natural wafer, by Mary Ann Knight. The sitter is a young woman with long hair clad in a white dress with low decolletage, posed against a background of trees and a blue sky.

The painting is in excellent condition with no issues. Sight size is 2 9/16" by 2 1/8". The gold pendant case is 2 3/4" by 2 3/8".

NOTE: Mary Ann Knight (1776 - 1851) was born in London and began painting miniatures around 1802. She was a pupil of Andrew Plimer, who then married Mary A...

A miniature portrait of a handsome gentleman in a blue jacket with gold buttons. Presented in the original cast foliate case, the reverse having chessboard hairwork centered with "RD" initials in underlying gold topped with pearls.

Excellent condition with any apparent issues being due to my infamous photographic skills. The case size is 2 1/2" by 2".

Nicely painted on organic wafer, this miniature portrait is of a handsome gentleman set against a bluish-gray background. Housed in a low karat gilded cast foliate pendant case with an empty glazed aperture verso. The miniature is in a specially made leather case that opens and props open to allow the miniature to be displayed or removed.

The condition of the miniature and case are excellent, with no issues to speak of. The white areas along the top edge and at the lower left are due to re...

A well painted miniature portrait, executed in watercolors on organic material. The sitter is a nice looking blue-eyed young man wearing a black coat and blue patterned waistcoat. Presented in what appears to be the original heavy cast gilt bronze frame.

There are no condition issues with the painting, and the sight size is 4 1/2" by 3 1/2" with an overall size of 6" by 5 1/4".

A well painted c1800 - 1812 miniature of a British officer. The sitter is wearing the uniform of a major general, with a red tunic, blue lapels and collar, and gold epaulettes and buttons. The miniature is signed lower left, with a somewhat indecipherable calligraphic monogram of "RM"?. Presented in a gilt metal frame with a bevelled blue glass back. Excellent condition, with an overall size of 2 1/2" by 2"

Painted by Samuel Shelley, this is a beautifully limned portrait miniature of a British officer. The epaulette being on the left shoulder, instead of on the more usual right, indicates that the sitter was in a cavalry regiment of the British army. That, taken with other characteristics of the uniform show him to be with the heavy dragoons. The white facings and silver buttons allow the identification to be narrowed down to the 3rd Irish Horse Regiment which, in 1788, became the 6th Dragoon Guar...

A strong oil on wood portrait of a gentleman sporting a long ponytail, and wearing a large black hat, a ruffled white shirt, a brownish-gray jacket. Cleverly executed to look like the painting is oval and in a mat, in actuality the entire surface is painted and is not a mat.

The condition of this work is excellent, with no issues or restoration. The frame, which is modern, nicely complements this work sight size is 6 1/2" by 4 1/2", with the framed size being 8 3/4" by 7".

An excellently painted miniature portrait of a gentleman, rendered by Thomas Richmond in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, with powdered hair, is attired in a black coat, matching waistcoat, and a frilled white shirt and stock.

Presented in a gilt metal frame, with printed interior scene on the reverse. The condition is excellent, with strong colors and no issues. Any white specks in the photo are dust motes. The overall size is 2 5/8" by 2".

It should be mentioned that Richmond sign...

A beautiful c1840 miniature, painted on natural material by Thomas Seir Cummings. The sitter, a gray-eyed young woman, is in a pale pink off the shoulder dress, and is resting against a blue cushion. The reverse is inscribed in pen with an illegible name and "22 yrs". Presented in a bronze surround set into a burl wood frame. Excellent condition with no issues. The sight size is 3 1/2" by 2 3/4", with a framed size of 7" by 6 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Thomas Seir Cummings was born in Englan...

A beautiful watercolor on organic material attributed to the hand of William Grimaldi. The subject of this work of art is an older gentleman wearing a blue coat, yellow vest, and ruffled stock, and shown against a beclouded sky background. Housed in a gold filled case.

The condition of the miniature and its case is excellent, with no problems. The overall size is 3" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Grimaldi (1751 - 1830) was born in England and was the son of Alexander Grimaldi and...

A very nicely done naive watercolor of a gentleman, housed in its original embossed brass frame. The painting has had no restoration and has no tears or losses. sight size is 2 1/4" by 1 3/4", and the framed size is 3 3/4" by 3 1/8".

A nicely painted portrait of a fashionably dressed attractive young woman, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is wearing a lace-edged blue dress, tightly belted at the waist, with a gold and red brooch centered at the bodice, and a lace cap, The painting and the ebonized wood frame (which has a finely craquelured surface) are in fine condition. Sight size is 2 7/8" by 2 1/4", with a frame size of 5 1/4" by 4 1/2".

Nothing less than superb would describe the quality of this c1835 American portrait miniature. The artist, as yet to be identified, even went so far as to show the shadow cast on the cheeks of the sitter by the lower rims of the glasses. The sight size is 2 7/8" by 2", with the size of the modern black painted wood frame being 5 1/2" by 5".

A finely painted watercolor portrait of a good looking gentleman wearing a black jacket and a white shirt, stock and collar. The talented artist specifically painted the entire piece in shades of white, black, and gray. Note the way he used white highlighting on the left collar and shoulder of the sitter to give a sense of depth to the piece.

The back of this work deserves special mention as it is composed of a backing of metal guilloche. (Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a very pr...

A fine miniature of a handsome gent with strawberry blond hair, painted by Henry Jacob Burch. Adding to the desirability of this example is the Burch trade card that was fitted to the back of the painting, rarely seen in his works.

Excellent condition, with an overall size of 2 3/4" by 2 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Henry Jacob Burch was born in London in 1763. He entered the Royal Academy Schools at the age of 16, and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1787 to 1834. Examples of his wor...

A large and beautifully painted portrait miniature by Aimee Thibault. Done in watercolor on organic wafer, the work shows a distinguished older gentleman of serious mien, set against a dark background, in a black tie and jacket with a white shirt and collar. The size of the miniature is due to Thibault having worked in France for a large part of her life, where such portraits were often done on a much grander scale than miniatures in the U.S. The portrait is signed Aimee Thibault along the righ...

A striking miniature portrait by Johann Christian Schoeller. The sitter is a girl child, dressed in purple, with a basket of flowers on her lap and posed in front of a window showing a landscape. Charming and colorful, this is an fine example of Schoeller's work. Presented in a period bronze frame, with an overall size of 3" by 2". The reverse has a label and a backing paper with the artist's name. Excellent condition.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Schoeller (1752 - 1851) was born in Alsace, traine...

A fine miniature portrait painted on natural wafer by Alexander Gallaway. The sitter is a distinguished gentleman with a white wig, and attired in a tan jacket, cream vest, and white shirt. Framed in a 15 karat gold case with half moon and dot work on the border of the reverse side.

The condition of the case and painting is excellent, with no flaws. (The white area at the right of the painting is due to light reflection in the photo.) The case size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: ...

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...

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 strong naïve miniature portrait, rendered in oil and watercolor on organic wafer, which is a very unusual combination. The sitter is a fine looking gentleman attired in a white shirt and collar, with a black jacket, vest and tie. He is seated in a formal armchair, holding a green covered book, in front of a red drapery with a red tasseled tieback. A wooded scene with a blue sky is in the background.

The size of the work is large and quite unusual for an American piece on natural material, h...

An extremely well painted miniature portrait of a very handsome young man. The sitter is dressed in the traditional black coat and cravat, white shirt with a high stiff collar, and a stickpin. The portrait, on natural organic wafer, is housed in a 14K or higher gold case with a glazed rear aperture showing a lock of hair. Condition of the miniature and case are excellent, with no issues at all. Sight size is 2 1/8" by 1 3/4", and the locket size is 2 1/4" by 1 7/8".