Catalog (181)

A mourning portrait miniature attributed to John Henry Brown of an attractive young woman with blue eyes and long curly hair. The painting is in excellent condition with no problems. The velvet lined leather case is also in excellent condition, with normal and expected light wear to the exterior. The white flecks in the photographs are dust motes, and not present in person. Sight size is 3" by 2 1/2", and the case size is 3 5/8" by 3 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Henry Brown (1818-1891), b...

A nice example of a miniature portrait, painted by Nathaniel Hancock on organic material. The sitter is a woman in a blue gown with a lace edged bodice. The gold case has chamfered glass on the front, and the reverse identifies the sitter as "Ridgely 1791."

The condition of this little gem is very fine, with no flaws to speak of. There was some minimal clean-up of a few painting drips in the background. Overall size is 1 3/4" by 1 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Information about Hancock is rel...

A finely painted portrait of a beautiful young woman, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter, identified on the reverse as "Wife of Dr. Kent" is attired in a simple white gown, with no jewelry or other embellishments shown, and is presented against a multicolored background.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws to speak of. The later case shows some wear, and has a cardboard or leather backing. Overall size is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8".

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 fine miniature portrait by Augustus Fuller, done on natural material. The sitter is an attractive hazel-eyed woman sporting sausage curls and wearing a white lace bonnet, a white lace fichu with a centered brooch, and a black dress. Fuller took pains in this painting to the extent of showing details of the dress design with faint white highlights, shown in the second photo.

The condition of the painting is excellent, and viewed in person the miniature is far better than the photo shows. The...

This fine miniature portrait was painted in watercolor on organic material by Henry Shumway. Depicting the attractive blue-eyed sitter in a white gown and adorned only with an earring, he chose to present her with a simple classical elegance.

The condition of the miniature is excellent, with no issues, as is the gilt metal case with a glazed aperture on the reverse. The case size is 3 1/8" by 2 5/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Henry Colton Shumway (1807, CT - 1884, NY) studied, probably with T...

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. Housed in a cast foliate case with the reverse engraved "SAWC" and having a lock of hair in the glazed aperture.

The condition of the...

A miniature portrait, done in watercolor on organic wafer, and signed on the reverse: "Painted by/ T. Barratt/ 136 Chestnut/ Phila/ 1838". The sitter is a young gentleman with sideburns, wearing a black jacket and cravat. Presented in a gilt metal foliate case with an empty glazed rear aperture.

The painting has no chips, cracks, bowing, mold, paint loss, etc., with the case also being in fine condition. The overall size is 2 3/4" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Thomas E. Barratt (c1814 -...

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...

A finely painted miniature portrait, done in watercolor on organic substrate, by Pierre Henri. Done against a blue background, the sitter, a nice looking young gent with blue eyes and hair en queue, is wearing a brown coat with yellow lining.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no bowing, cracks, paint loss, or restoration. Set in a frame with a glazed blue material reverse. The sight size is 1 3/4" by 1 1/4".

Pierre Henri (c 1760 - 1822) was born in Paris and often went by the...

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...

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 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...

A miniature painting done in watercolors on natural material, signed "C. Greiner along the left center. The sitter is a gentleman dressed in the clothing and hair style popular in the 1841 to 1844 period. Presented in a cast foliate case, the reverse being engine turned with a glazed aperture containing a braid of hair and engraved with the initials JLD.

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

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Christopher (or...

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 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 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...