Catalog (971)

An important French button of very large size at 1 1/2". The scene, which is handpainted on paper and under glass, shows the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. At the top of the scene is a banner saying "le Despotisme abatu" (despotism demolished). In addition to the people attacking in the foreground, there are figures rejoicing on the ramparts. Encased in a copper rim and backing.

The condition is excellent, with no issues. The grayish areas in the sky are clouds or smoke, not toning...

A wonderful Barr Flight Barr Worcester porcelain coffee can painted by Thomas Baxter or William Doe, the two Worcester decorators who did the finest feather painting. This beautiful example features 4 glorious feathers, a gilded Greek key border, and a gilded ring handle. The bottom is marked with an impressed crown above "BFB".

The condition of this little gem is superb, looking fresh from the factory with absolutely no issues. The height is 2 3/8" with a diameter of 2 1/2"

A superbly limned portrait by Daniel Dickinson, done in watercolor on natural material. The sitter is a young man of the Brown family of Philadelphia. This painting was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, "Exhibition of Miniatures", April 22 - May 6, 1893, and was descended through the Brown family..

The condition of the miniature is superb, with no issues of any kind. The gold bezel is original, but the frame is a later Wiebold Studio reproduction, with both of these also bein...

A very interesting and charming 1" enameled button showing a young woman with a basket of flowers looking at a butterfly that is about to alight on her hand. The scene is surrounded by an inner brass border. Between that border and the outer one are enameled sections with flowers. The condition is excellent with no problems.

An elegant and finely proportioned antique English toasting wine glass with a drawn flared trumpet bowl atop a plain stem and conical foot. Lead metal with a rough snapped pontil. A beautiful and graceful glass, and quite uncommon in lead.

7 1/4 inches tall, 2 3/4 inch bowl diameter, 2 7/8 inch foot diameter. No condition issues.

An extremely powerful portrait attributed to Jeremiah Paul Jr., though it is possible that Benjamin Trott was the artist. In any case, due to the technique and strong features of the sitter, the painting has an immediate impact on the viewer and was done by a highly skilled artist.

The overall condition of the painting is excellent, as is the case, The size is 2 7/8" by 2 1/4". Please note that the first photo is an accurate depiction of the miniature, and the second photo, which has all man...

A watercolor on organic wafer portrait, done by Matthew Jouett, of a young woman wearing a pale blue Empire style dress with a lace trimmed bodice and a blue hair band trailing from her head. Presented in a case with N. Grayson engraved in the interior.

The condition of the painting and the case is excellent, with no issues. Overall size is 2 7/8" by 2 3/8".

NOTES: 1. Although Jouett produced a large body of full portraits during his lifetime, signed or documented miniatures by Jouett are q...

A charming example of Abraham Parsell's ability to capture the essential characteristic of a sitter and portray them in a wonderful naïve manner. In the miniature portrait presented here we have a young man with striking blue eyes and a mound of curly hair. He is attired in a dark brown jacket, black vest, and white tie and shirt.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no cracks, chips, bowing, fading, etc. There are some scattered black spots on the lower part of the jacket, quite ...

An extremely fine hallmarked 18K gold button featuring a watercolor painting on natural wafer, under glass. Black enamel surrounds the vignette. The scene is very charming, depicting two figures dressed in 18th c attire, appearing to be a man and woman. However, upon closer examination, one notices that the faces and body form are those of children. It seems that the artist was attempting to capture the first blush of young courtship, hence the shy downcast look of the maiden. A wonderful piece....

A superb Derby porcelain coffee can displaying a scene of two people on a hillside looking at a town in the distance. The scene is identified in blue script on the bottom as "Near Breadsall", Derbyshire" along with the pattern number 531 and the Derby crossed batons and crown mark. In addition to being a fine example of Derby painting, the ground color on this piece is a beautiful true yellow, one of the most difficult colors to produce and fire without issues, and thus one of the least common c...

A naïve portrait of a young man holding a book, done in watercolor, ink, and pencil. Although unsigned, every characteristic of J.A. Davis' work is present, from the materials used to the composition, to the painting technique. Similar to lot 834 at the Sotheby's 1/25/15 auction and to lots 119 and 120 at the Skinner 11/2/18 sale. .

Excellent condition with no tears, folds, or restoration. There is some light even toning which is very common with her works and does not detract from this gem o...

A beautiful lobed Chelsea porcelain plate, fulsomely decorated with a variety of flowers in a panoply of colors. The reverse with an anchor mark and three stilt marks.

Excellent condition with bright colors, no chips, cracks, or restoration. 8 1/4" diameter.

A pair of extremely large antique English drinking glasses, each with a bucket bowl on a plain stem. Glasses of this size in this form are quite uncommon, and it is very unusual to find a pair. Good color, striations, and tooling marks. Rough snapped pontil.

Their condition is excellent, with no problems whatsoever. A museum label remains on the foot of one of the glasses. The height is 8", with bowl and foot diameters of 3 3/4".

A finely painted portrait miniature of a young girl, presented in its original gilded case, the reverse with woven plaits of hair under glass. The sitter, who has a slight smile playing on her lips, has blue eyes and brownish-blonde hair, and is simply dressed in a white top.

The painting and the case are both in excellent condition with no issues at all. The case size is 1 5/8" by 1 3/8".

A fine example of a plique-a-jour button, all of which are uncommon (see Note 1, below), featuring translucent greenish-blue enamel in a gold metal surround and cells. Excellent condition with no issues. The color of the enamel is actually deeper than shown in the main photo. The diameter is 13/16".

NOTES: 1. Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight") is a vitreous enamelling technique where the enamel is applied in cells, similar to cloisonné, but with no backing in the final pr...

A fine miniature portrait of a pretty young child, done in watercolors on organic material by William Egley. The case has hallmarks for 9K London gold and a maker's mark for G.S. Both the case and the painting are in excellent condition with no problems. The size is 1 5/16" by 1 1/16".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Egley (1798–1870), was born in Doncaster, England, and moved shortly after to Nottingham. Originally working in a publishing house and bookshop, he had developed an interest in pai...

A beautiful and unusual English double series opaque twist (dsot) wine goblet, the large ogee bowl with honeycomb molding above a stem containing a solid multi-ply spiral band outside of a pair of heavy spiral threads. A substantial conical foot with rough, snapped pontil.

This fine example has wonderful color, striations, and tooling marks, and is in excellent condition with no flaws. The height is 7 1/2", with a bowl diameter of 3 3/8" and a foot diameter of 3 3/5".

A fine portrait miniature painted by William Lewis. The sitter is an attractive gentleman in a black coat, white vest, stock, and shirt, the latter highlighted with a stick pin containing three rubies. It should be noted that the technique and facial structure of this painting is at a higher level than Lewis' works display (see Note 2 below).

Excellent condition with no issues. Sight size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", and the later frame is 2 5/8" by 2 1/4".

BIOPGRAPHICAL NOTES: 1. William Lew...

A fine miniature painting of a handsome young man attired in a dark blue jacket with black velvet lapels, a white stock and gray vest. Signed lower right "J.T." for John Turmeau. The miniature is in a gilt metal case, the elaborate reverse of which has a lock of hair with a faux pearl circlet and a cobalt glass shield, the whole displayed on a worked foil background, all under glass.

The condition of the miniature is quite good, with some craquelure showing on the jacket. The case has a raised...

A nicely painted portrait of a woman in white, including her lace edged gown, lace edged scarf, and turban. The artist clearly used a monochromatic palette to convey a sense of simplicity and serenity in the sitter, identified on the reverse as a Mrs. Hobbs, or Hobby.

Painted with watercolors on organic wafer, the miniature is housed iin a later case which is gold over silver (vermeil), and has hallmarks indicating it is sterling silver made in London with the maker's mark of JHP. Fine condi...

A beautifully limned still life of flowers on a table. Done in oil on copper, with a silvered back. Excellent condition with no issues. Quite large, with a diameter of 1 1/2".

PLEASE NOTE: We collected buttons for many years, but have decided to sell our collection. The buttons shown on our site represent but a small sample on what we have, so please do not hesitate to ask if you are looking for a particular type.

A large and beautiful gin bari button showing lotus flowers against a purple background, the whole with a silver surround and backing. Uncommon scalloped shape. Excellent condition with no issues, and any apparent imperfections are due to reflections in the photo. The diameter is 1 1/4".

NOTES:
1. Buttons of this type, a pure Japanese creation, were primarily done in the late 19th century, and the subjects display the Japanese elegance and simplicity in depicting nature oriented themes,...

A large gin bari cloisonne button depicting three snowy egrets against a background with shades of green, the whole with a silver surround and backing. When viewed from the side, the button has an intentionally undulating shape, making it highly unusual. The side is hallmarked and there appear to be other markings. Excellent condition with no issues, and any apparent imperfections are due to reflections in the photo. The diameter is 1 3/8".

NOTES:
1. Buttons of this type, a pure Japa...

A First Period Dr. Wall Worcester teabowl, of octagonal form, with a slightly everted rim, printed in outline and delicately hand coloured with the "Red Bull" pattern, the borders with half flowerheads alternating with green diaper panels. This is the rare early version of this pattern when Worcester first started using printed patterns. The pattern is based on a Chinese famille rose design from the Yongzheng period and appears circa 1754-56.

Condition is excellent, with bright colors, and ...

A miniature painting displaying the work of Walter Stephens Lethbridge at its finest. The sitter, according to family records of the former owners, is H.B. Lott, a Member of Parliament from Honiton, Devon. Lott, a handsome blue-eyed curly-haired gentleman, is posed against a clouded blue background, and is wearing a bluish gray jacket with gold buttons, a gold weskit, and a white ruffled shirt with a white stock.

The reverse of the gold case deserves special mention, having a tailed circlet of...

A fine painting of a youth, signed and dated "P. Jean 1789" on the right side. The sitter is dressed in a red jacket with a white ruff. The reverse of the gold case has interwoven plaits of hair under glass.

There are no condition issues with the painting or the case. The discoloration along the top of the painting is light reflection. The size is 2" by 1 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Philippe Jean (1755-1802)was born in Saint Ouen, Jersey, the son of Nicholas Jean and Marie Grandin. He was at fi...

A fine Dr. Wall (First Period) Worcester pickle leaf dish in the "Pickle Leaf Vine" pattern, showing flowers and vines within a feuil-de-choix border, and with a workman's mark on the reverse. Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, paint loss, or restoration. The white areas at places along the edge are light reflections. Length 3 1/4", and width 3 1/2".

A charming portrait, by Thomas Hargreaves, of a young boy dressed in the height of the fashion of the times, sporting a lace ruff, a dark blue jacket with three columns of gold buttons, and a wide silk sash. Housed in a round gold frame with cobalt blue glass on the reverse.

Condition of the painting and the case is excellent, with a diameter of 2 3/8". BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Thomas Hargreaves (1775–1846), born in Liverpool began painting miniatures at an early age, and on the advice of Sir Thom...

A fantastic Clarissa Peters (Mrs. Mose B. Russell) mourning painting of a baby and toddler. Peters chose a simple palette of white and bluish-gray to emphasize the ethereal and ephemeral nature of the painting, reserving the use of colors to the hair, lips, and eyes of the subjects. Known for painting children, Peters' mourning paintings are scarce, and double mourning portraits are exponentially rarer yet.

Adding to the importance of this piece is the velvet lined gutta percha case, which h...

Confidently attributed to Edward Savage, this miniature portrait is painted on organic material. The sitter, who has a strong countenance and blue eyes, is wearing a deep blue coat with gold buttons, a white vest and shirt, and a white cravat.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws, and is housed in a gilt copper case, the reverse of which has a glazed aperture containing woven plaits of hair.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Edward Savage (1761 in Princeton, Massachusetts – 1817 in Pri...

A simple but charming Benjamin Trott watercolor of an attractive blue-eyed young woman with a ribbon in her hair and dressed in a white empire gown. There are no condition issues. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 1 7/8", and the later frame is 4 7/8" by 3 78".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:
1. From "The Smithsonian Art Museum": Benjamin Trott (c1770 - 1843), thought to have been born in Boston, ranks with Edward Greene Malbone and Charles Fraser as one of America's best miniaturists. During a long career t...

A striking portrait, on natural material, of a French colonel, purportedly Charles Ferdement, Baron de St. Clair. The colors are vivid, and the strength of the sitter is well captured by the artist. The condition is excellent, and the diameter is 2 3/4".

A wonderfully limed work of a young man, done by John Barry. The porcelain-complected sitter, with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, is finely dressed in a white cravat, a green and cream striped vest and a silk-lined black coat.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws (the white area on the left is light reflection), and is housed in its original gold bracelet slide case. The sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Barry, who lived in London and was activ...

A charming portrait miniature painted by John Carlin on organic material. The blue-eyed, brown-haired baby is dressed, in the custom of the time, in a white gown and cap.

The portrait is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, or restoration. The gold case is also in fine condition. Sight size of this gem is 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Carlin (1813 - 1891) was born in Philadelphia. He was a deaf mute, and one of sixteen original students, he graduated in 182...

A beautifully painted miniature portrait by Elkanah Tisdale. The sitter is a handsome older man dressed in a black coat. The painting measures 2 3/4" by 2 1/4", and is in superb condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, paint loss, or restoration. It is housed in its original gilt metal insert.

Few miniatures by Tisdale are known to exist, and with very rare exception, are, as is the case here, unsigned.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Elkanah Tisdale (1771 - 1835) was born in CT and then moved ...

A beautifully painted miniature on natural wafer of a very attractive woman. The sitter is in a white gown with lace edging, presented in a straightforward manner, unadorned with jewelry, preferring to let her natural beauty speak to the viewer.

There are no condition issues to speak of, with the darker area below her bust line intentionally painted in that manner. Housed in a red leather case without glazing, the size is 2 3/4" by 2 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Samuel Shelley (1750/56–1...

A beautifully painted portrait of a well-dressed gentleman. As superb as the painting is, it is matched by the reverse of the miniature, which has interwoven plaits of hair and an organic plaque decorated with the initials "EW" on a monument which is topped with a quiver and arrow.

The photos do not even begin to do justice to this superb piece, which has fine limning, vibrant colors, and no damage at all. The color differences and light lines on the front and back are due to reflections. The...

A strikingly limned portrait miniature painted in watercolor on natural substrate. Because of the framing, the artistic technique used, and the pose, there are very strong indications that this is a China Trade piece. The sitter is clad in a deep navy jacket with a striped vest, and a masonic pin adorning his shirt.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no issues. The period and probably original gilt metal frame has wear to the green velvet border between the inner ands outer metal su...

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 nicely executed portrait miniature, done in watercolor and gouache on organic wafer. The sitter is a fine looking gentleman with blue eyes and brown hair, attired in a black jacket, vest, and stock.

The painting was descended in the family, and the sitter has been identified as John Amory Lowell (1798 - 1881). He was the grandson of John Lowell (1743 - 1802), an American lawyer, selectman, jurist, delegate to the Congress of the Confederation, and federal judge. Known within his family as â...

A charming miniature portrait of two beautiful children, painted on natural material by William Egley. Housed in what is probably the original bronze frame.

Both the painting and the frame are in excellent condition, with no issues. The painting is 1 3/4" in diameter, and the frame is 2 7/8".

Biographical Note: William Egley (1798–1870), was born in Doncaster, England, and moved shortly after to Nottingham. Originally working in a publishing house and bookshop, he had developed an interes...

A charming miniature portrait painted in watercolors on wafer. The sitter, with curly auburn hair and blue eyes, is simply attired in an off the shoulder sky blue gown, and is depicted in front of a cloud filled blue sky. Such a pose is often used to indicate that the work is a mourning piece. According to family history, the sitter is Lucy Ann Bainbridge, the daughter of Commodore William Bainbridge.

The miniature, in what might be the original case, which has a glazed aperture on the reverse...

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 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...

An unusual double sided miniature by Frederick Buck. One side is painted using watercolors on ivory, and shows a young man with an upswept hair style, dressed in the usual black coat and white stock of the period. The reverse of the case shows an older man in profile, also in a black coat and white stock, but limned in watercolor on card. The paintings were probably done at somewhat different times, and then framed together.

The condition of the full face painting is excellent, with no issues...

A strong enamel on copper painting by William Prewett, depicting James Thomson. Thompson (1700 - 1748) was a Scottish poet and playwright, best known now for writing the lyrics to "Rule Britannia". The case is original, but engraved as follows several years after the death of the sitter: James Thomson/Poet/1700 - 1748.

The condition of the painting and the case is excellent. Overall size is 1 7/8" by 1 5/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: According to Foskett: "William Prewett (or Prewitt) (fl. 1735 - ...

A watercolor miniature of an older gentleman, expertly painted, and signed at the lower right "AG 1800", by Alexander Gallaway. The blue-eyed subject, posed against a blue sky with wispy clouds, is wearing a blue jacket with brass buttons, a white shirt and vest, and a stock tied in a bow. The glazed reverse of the gilt brass case has fine hairwork consisting of interwoven plaits.

The condition of the case and painting is excellent, with no flaws. Sight size is 3" by 2 1/4", and the case size ...

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 beautiful portrait, by Gervase Spencer, of a striking young woman, painted in enamels on copper. Signed and dated "GS 1759" on the lower right. The subject of the painting, with brown hair and blue eyes, is clearly wealthy, attired in a blue gown with lace trim, and accessorized with pearl earrings, a pearl encrusted hair barrette, a pearl choker, and a long pearl necklace centered by a pearl, onyx and gold brooch. The case for this miniature has a gold bezel, deep (5/16") gilt silver sides, a...

A beautiful Samuel Cotes miniature painted in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter was an officer in the First Royal Dragoons, first raised in 1661, making it one of the oldest cavalry regiments in British Army history. It served in many campaigns until 1969, when it was merged into The Blues and Royals.

The portrait is in a gold case which has been mounted on a 10K gold Victorian bracelet. The bracelet comes with its original blue silk lined leather case. The miniature, the case, and the ...

An extremely fine watercolor and gouache on organic substrate miniature portrait done by Henry Benbridge, painted in his crisp, realistic style. The sitter is attired in a blue coat and a white ruffled shirt and collar, the fabrics of which are carefully and richly depicted, a characteristic of Benbridge's work. The surround to the painting is gold, while the original case, with a pin on the reverse, is gold filled.

Both the painting and the case are in excellent condition. The sight size of t...

A fine portrait on natural material of a gentleman in an early 19th century officer's uniform. Within the locket is the remnant of the backing paper of the miniature, which was incorrectly and poorly removed. A portion of the name "Miller" can be seen. Prior to this removal, a previous owner had written down on a piece of paper what had been on the backing paper. This is shown in the third photo and gives a portion of the sitter's name as John L. Sc?h???, the name of the artist (Miller) and the ...

A strong watercolor miniature portrait on organic wafer done by Simon Jacques Rochard. The subject of the painting, a distinguished gentleman wearing a white vest, shirt, stock, and a black coat with The French Legion Of Honour medal. He is posed in front of a white column, with some foliage to the viewer's left.

Along the right side of the painting, Rochard has signed "Rochard Spa 1815". Clearly this was done at the same time he had been summoned there by royalty (see Note 3, below). Housed ...

A beautiful 18K gold ring containing a miniature portrait of a pretty young girl wearing a bicorn hat. The painting is surrounded with authentic seed pearls.

The condition of the painting itself, and the ring, is excellent. The blue section showing in the photo of the underside is a bit of tape that was used to allow a snugger fit for the finger of a previous owner. The front of the ring measures 1 1/8" by 7/8". The ring is a size 7 1/2.

A beautifully painted miniature by Enrichetta Koelman, nee Narducci. Done in watercolor on organic material, it depicts a nice looking gentleman attired in a brown coat and black tie. It is carefully signed along the left edge "1850 Enrichetta Koelman f(ecit)". The painting is mounted in a 14k or 18k gold surround with a wide filigreed depth at the sides, a pin on the reverse, and a mother-of-pearl backing.

The condition is excellent, with no flaws. The size is 2" by 1 1/2" The depth is 1/8"....

A beautiful Georgian ratafia glass featuring an extremely narrow drawn trumpet bowl engraved with flowers and leaves. For the same glass see plate #336 in "Eighteenth Century English Drinking Glasses" by L.M. Bickerton, published by the Antique Collectors' Club.

Conical foot with rough pontil. The glass is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, cloudiness, or restoration. Good color, striations, and tooling marks. Wonderfully and elegantly proportioned, being quite tall at 7 5/8", and...

A spectacular Nathaniel Rogers painting done in watercolor on organic wafer. I very rarely, if ever, describe or refer to an item as "the best", or the "finest example ever". However, there is no question that this painting represents Rogers at the peak of his ability, which indeed is quite high. Further, the vast majority of his paintings are only bust length, and do not depict the hands of the sitter, not any additional objects. Here we have the subject sitting with an arm draped over a chair,...

A wonderful watercolor on natural wafer, painted by Robert Field. The sitter, a very pretty young woman with brown hair and eyes, is posed in front of a red drapery, and is wearing a black jacket over a white dress with a neck ruffle. The ebonized frame appears to be original, as is the cover glass which has a black and eglomise border.

The condition of this rare gem is excellent, with no cracks, chips, paint loss, or bowing. Except for a discolored area in the top right, the frame is also in ...

A nice miniature painting done, in watercolor on natural material, by Ebenezer Mack. The sitter is dressed in a black jacket, and a white vest, shirt, and stock. Housed in its original gold case.

Although all of Mack's works are quite naïvely rendered, this example is even more primitive than most, indicating that it was done quite early in his career, probably in the 1785 time frame. His works are very rare, and he did not sign his paintings. His works have a similarity in some cases to tho...

A well proportioned baluster glass featuring a trumpet bowl raised on a drawn stem with a large annular medial knop. A virtually identical glass is classified in Bickerton's "Eighteenth Century English Drinking Glasses" as a heavy baluster. Conical folded foot with a rough snapped pontil.

Excellent condition with no chips, cracks, hazing, or restoration. The height is 6 1/2", with a bowl diameter of 2 5/8" and a foot diameter of 2 3/4". Ex collection of Tony Stout.