Catalog (115)

A beautifully painted c1810 miniature of an attractive woman, attributed to Thomas Hargreaves. Clearly well off, and  wearing a white lace bonnet and collar, a black dress, and a chatelaine, the sitter is posed on a red sofa in front of a dusky pale orange drapery. The skill of the artist is evident, even to how he carefully painted the dress material so that it is obvious that the fabric is silk.

Watercolor on organic wafer, the condition is excellent, with a sight size of  3 3/8" by 2...

A beautifully drawn miniature on natural organic material portrait painting, attributed to Thomas Hazlehurst. The piece has a somewhat ethereal feel to it, with the sitter, in a gauzy white gown, and wearing a double strand of pearls, gazing rather wistfully at the viewer. The portrait is dated 1805, and while not signed, stylistically it would most likely would have been done either by Hazlehurst or John Barry. However, Barry used a different color palette for shading, and his facial brush stro...

A fine miniature by Charles Dixon, signed "CD" and dated 1750. The subject is a gentleman with his hair tied back, wearing a blue coat, red waistcoat, and black stock. Presented in a gilt metal mount with bracelet clasp, measuring 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Information about Charles Dixon (fl 1748 - 1798) appears to be quite sparse, and there is not even certainty that his first name was Charles since those pieces he signed were done so with "CD". It is known that Benjamin Frankl...

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"

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".

A fine miniature, painted in watercolor on natural material, by George Place. The subject is a rather jowly hazel-eyed fellow in liturgical garb. Housed in its original gold plated case.

The painting is in excellent condition with no issues. The black or white specs in the photo are only in the photograph. Size of the cased painting is 2 3/8" by 2".

NOTE: George Place (c1760 - 1805) was born in Ireland and studied there under F.R. West. By 1791 he was living in London and exhibited at t...

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 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".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Born in Germany, and brought to England in 1749, Jeremiah Me...

Using watercolor on organic material, Francois Theodore Rochard painted this beautiful portrait of an attractive blue-eyed young woman with brown hair done ion sausage curls. The sitter, identified on a very old label on the rear of the frame, is Clara Stevens (?) age 18. She is posed against a wall with a climbing rose bush showing through a window to her left. Attired in a puffy-sleeved lace-edged white gown with a brooch below the bodice and a wide blue belt, she is also wearing a pink and bl...

A fine portrait miniature attributed to John Downman, although Charles Hayter is a secondary possibility. Simply attired in a white gown, and with powdered hair, the sitter is shown with a pensive and somewhat downcast expression. Presented in a gold frame, the glazed reverse having a plaited hair border and a hairwork wheat-sheaf with seed pearls on opalescent glass. The condition is excellent, and the overall size is 3" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Downman (1750 - 1824), born in W...

An incredibly sweet miniature done in watercolor on organic wafer. Posed against a background of a blue sky with clouds, foliage on the right, and a body of water on the left, the subject is a beautiful young girl with large eyes, golden curls, and rosy cheeks. The artist used her red lips and the sash of her embroidered dress to provide "pops" of color.

The condition of this gem is excellent, with only a very small spot of restoration at the water at the extreme edge at 8:00 o'clock. T...

A beautifully executed miniature portrait painting by Andrew Plimer, done on natural organic material. The sitter, an attractive woman with strong features, short curly chestnut hair, and gray eyes, is simply dressed in a white gown, and is shown against a beautiful blue sky and white cloud background. As is often the case with Plimer's miniatures at this period, it is somewhat idealized, and the strong nose and elongated neck are typical.

The miniature is in excellent condition, with no pr...

A striking and strongly limned Andrew Plimer miniature portrait of Edward Buller Hicks, of the Royal Navy. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1812, and this portrait was most likely done at that time. In a later ebonized wood frame which nicely complements the piece. Both the painting and the frame are in excellent condition with no issues. Sight size is 2 7/8" by 2", and the framed size is 6 3/4" by 5 3/4".

Provenance: Elle Shushan and then to a NY collector.

Notes: 1. Edward Buller Hicks wa...

A beautifully painted miniature by Jeremiah Meyer. The sitter is a blue-eyed older woman wearing a lace cap, a white gown and scarf with a large ribbon at the neck, and a taupe shawl. The 15K gold case is another extraordinary work of art, blue foil backed glass, and the same on the reverse surrounding and centering an oval woven plait of hair.

Condition of the painting and case is superb, with no issues. Sight size is 2.4" by 1.8", while the case size is 4" by 2.8".

NOTES:
1. The photo...

A fine pair of miniature portraits, done in watercolor on wafer, by Ozias Humphry. They are mounted back to back in a gold case which has black and gold eglomise work on the cover glasses. The sitters are, purportedly by descent within the family, a Mr. and Mrs. Poole. The woman is attired in a white classic white gown and wears a bone comb in her hair. The man is in a blue jacket with gold buttons, and sports a white ruffled shirt and stock.

The condition of the paintings is excellent, with g...

Painted in watercolor on organic material, this fine example of Wood's work depicts an older man with blue eyes and pigtailed hair dressed in a black jacket with gold buttons, and a white vest and stock. Housed in its original case, with the glazed reverse having fancy hairwork over a on a white glass backing.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no cracks, bowing, or paint loss. the white area to the right of the sitter's head is intentionally done that way, and is not uncommon in som...

An exceedingly rare portrait miniature, done in watercolor on organic wafer, by John Miers (1756–1821) who was the most famous profilist or painter of silhouettes in Britain. (Actually, the term “silhouette” was not used until the 1830’s. Prior to that, black silhouettes were known as “shades,” “shadow portraits,” or “profiles.”) Although Miers was known to have done tens of thousands of shades, only a very few full color portrait miniatures are thought to exist.

The p...

A beautiful and charming portrait on porcelain, painted, and signed on the reverse, by the well-known English artist, William Corden. The sitter is a young girl in a pretty white dress trimmed in blue, with matching shoes and necklace. She is seated in front of a red drapery, holding a basket of flowers, with several scattered by her side on the chaise-longue. signed on the reverse. Mounted in a period, and probably original, gilt over gesso frame.

The sight size of this gem is 6 1/4" by 5 1/8...

A charming miniature portrait by Susan Penelope Rosse, executed in gouache on gesso-washed vellum or card. The sitter is a sweet looking girl with long hair, wearing a blue gown with white lace edging at the bodice. The case for the miniature deserves special mention, being a flip type made of testudines shell with gold mounts.

The painting is in quite fine condition, with no issues, as is the clever case. The sight size is 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Susan Penelope Rosse (or Rose) ...

A charming first half 19th centrury miniature of a young woman. The exceptional thing about this piece is the wonderful high karat gold flip case with guilloche work (engine turning) on the front and back. The painting in this little gem is 1 1/8" in diameter and the case is 1 1/2" in diameter. Excellent condition.

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 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 fine silhouette done in black and bronze gilt, of an older woman. Although unsigned, the work was unquestionably done by John Field. The reverse of the gilt metal case, which comes with its silk lined red leather travel case, has elaborate and tightly woven hairwork of two colors, indicating that one of them was hers, while the other was of a loved one.

Both the miniature and the case are in excellent condition. Sight size of the piece is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", with the case size being 2 9/16" b...

A superb miniature portrait, done en grisaille on organic substrate, by Samuel Andrews. The sitter is an attractive woman with an elaborate wig and hair style, and wearing a cap and gold earrings. The painting is wonderfully executed, and with such skill that there is a three dimensional effect. The photos do not at all due it justice.

The painting is beautifully presented, surrounded by a gilt metal bezel, outside of which is a plait of hair, the whole in a red leather travel case. The condi...

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 nicely executed watercolor, on natural material, of a gent in a black coat with white stock and ruffled shirt. Presented in the original gilt metal case with hair work under glazing on the reverse.

The overall condition is fine, with some tiny dust motes under the glass. The white areas circling the top half are reflections from the chamfered cover glass. Overall frame size is 2 1/4" by 2".

A very well executed miniature portrait painting of a gentleman, watercolor on natural organic material, by Edward Nash. The leather travel case states that the miniature was owned by Mrs. Thos. Higham. The miniature is in wonderful condition, but lacks an inner case to the travel case. The size is 2 13/16" by 2 5/16".

NOTE: Edward Nash (1778-1821), reportedly a hunchback, exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1800 to 1820. He lived for a while in the Lake District and knew Wordsworth, Coleridge...

A fine miniature portrait painting done in watercolor on organic material. The young boy, wearing a black hat, white coat, and coral sash, is posed against a background of a blue sky and a tree. The artist has cleverly painted the tree branch to arc over the boy's head, creating a natural framing effect and drawing the eye to the center of the work.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws, and is housed in its original silver case, which measures 1 7/8" by 1 5/8".

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 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 watercolor on natural material done by Nathaniel Plimer. The sitter is a somewhat older woman, with a pensive and somewhat sad mien about her. Set against a background with gradations of blue, she is simply dressed in a white gown and bonnet, accented with a pendant medallion on a black ribbon, and a gray belt.

The painting and the original bronze frame are in excellent condition with no flaws or restoration. Sight size of the miniature is 2 3/4" by 2 1/4", with an overall size of 3 3/4" by ...

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 very finely drawn miniature of an extremely handsome man, done en grisaille on organic material by H.M.S. Stuart.

The sitter is Sir Dugald Stuart, 2nd Baronet of Ardmaleish and Bute and the painting is signed, dated and inscribed on the reverse: "From a drawing on/Vellum of Sir Dugald/Stuart, father of the first Earl of Bute;/in the possession of/the Marquess of Bute/at Mount Stuart/by H M. S. Stuart/Decbr 1841".

Presented in a rectangular ebonized frame, both the painting and ...

A superb double silhouette on natural organbic material, in a cast foliate locket, by John Field. One side is of a woman, the other of a man, wearing spectacles (highly unusual) and both are signed "John Field 111 Strand" along the lower edge of the bust line. These paintings display the finely executed bronzed work that was a hallmark of Field's.

The sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4". The condition of the paintings and case is excellent, with no apologies needed.

NOTE: The following are excerp...

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 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: ...