Catalog: Fine Art: Paintings (339)

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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"...

A beautiful portrait, by Gervase Spencer, of a striking young woman, painted in enamels on copper...

A nicely done portrait miniature of a gentleman, executed in watercolor on natural organic material. Housed in its original ebonized wood frame which has an interesting musical motif as the hanger base.

No condition issues for either the painting or the frame. Sight size is 2 7/8" by 2 1/4", and the framed size is 4 3/4" by 4 1/4".

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 ...

A nicely done watercolor in natural material portrait of a young woman. Complementing the blue background, the sitter is presented with blue eye shadow and a blue ribbon and bow in her hair. The glazed reverse of the gold filled case is covered with a nice display of woven hair plaits.

Condition is excellent, with a case size of 1 7/8" by 1 5/8".

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 well painted watercolor on natural wafer, signed on the backing paper by Louisa Freeman. The sitter, a gentleman of aristocratic bearing, is arrayed in the height of fashion for the period, sporting a black jacket, yellow vest, and white stock. Housed in an ebonized wood frame.

The condition of the frame and painting is excellent, with no issues to speak of. The sight size of the portrait is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8", with a framed size of 5" by 4 3/8".

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 ...

An absolutely charming painting, done in watercolor and gouache on organic wafer, of a male toddler. A label on the reverse states "J.C. Holt/at 1 yr./1831".

Housed in its original gold case, neither the painting or the case have any condition problems at all. The size is 1 3/4" by 1 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 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 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...

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 naïve miniature watercolor on wafer painting of a gentleman with a piercing gaze and a neatly trimmed beard. Set against a darkish green background, he is wearing a black jacket, vest, and tie with a stickpin. In a cast foliate case with a coil of plaited hair in the glazed window on the reverse.

Condition is excellent, with no issues. Sight size is 2 1/8" by 1 3/4", and the overall size is 2 3/8" by 2".

A superb Walter Robertson miniature portrait painting done in watercolor on natural organic material. The stately blue-eyed gentleman is wearing a powdered wig, blue jacket with gold buttons, salmon vest, and a white stock. The case for this fine piece is 14K gold, and the reverse has, under glass, 4 sections of hair set at right angles to one another.

The condition of both the painting and the case is excellent, with no issues whatsoever. The lighter sections near the edges of the mini...

A mourning portrait miniature by Elizabeth (Eliza) Goodridge. The work, painted in watercolor on natural wafer, is a depiction of a young boy's head issuing from a cloud beneath. Presented in a period, and probably original, case with a glazed, but empty, aperture on the reverse.

The condition is excellent, with no flaws, as is that of the case. The overall size is 2 1/2" by 2 1/16".

NOTES: 1. Eliza Goodridge (1798-1882) was born in Templeton, MA, and spent her younger years there and in the...

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...

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...

Painted in watercolor on natural wafer, this is a lovely portrait of an attractive young woman. The sitter, with a mass of reddish-brown curls and light brown eyes, is attired in a white dress with a restrained ruffles. She is not wearing any jewelry or other adornments, and is presented simply against a white background. Clearly, Lovett has done this intentionally, along with painting this is a smooth, wash style, rather than the much more common stippling, in order to emphasize her pale beauty...

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 fine miniature painting done in watercolor on organic material by Edward Marchant. Depicting an older gent in black tie, vest and jacket, the painting is in excellent condition with no issues. It is displayed in one half of a velvet lined leather travelling case. Sight size is 3 3/4" by 3", and a cased size of 6 5/8" by 5 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES (From Wikipedia and other sources): Edward Dalton Marchant (1806-1887), also known as Edward D. Marchant and E. D. Marchant, was an American...

A miniature portrait painting by John Wood Dodge of a U.S. naval officer, his position as such identified by the scarf and silver buttons on his jacket. He is posed wearing his glasses, which is rarely seen in portraits. The backing paper of the ivory contains the following information in Dodge's hand:
"Painted by/John W. Dodge/Feb 1850/Natchez Miss".
Based on the detailed records that Dodge kept of his commissions, the sitter is one of three possible men - James Metcalf, David Ker, or Mr...

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 beautifully executed miniature folk art watercolor on paper portrait by J. H. Gillespie, housed in a metal locket with a black card backing.

Condition is excellent with no paint loss, tears, folds, foxing, or restoration. The piece is 2 3/4 inches by 2 3/8 inches.

NOTE: Gillespie was active on the East Coast of North America, Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia around the 1829-1838 time period. He painted miniature portraits and silhouettes very carefully, and with great attention to ...

A nicely done watercolor on organic material portrait miniature, depicting a half-length view of a young woman. In a black dress with a lace-edged neckline, she has accessorized with gold drop earrings and a triple strand gold necklace.

Of interest is the backing of the painting, which shows a portion of a finely drawn ink portrait of a man's head. The miniature is in a velvet lined leather case with a brass mat and glazing, with the two halves having separated, but which could be taped back t...

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...

An absolutely charming and well painted portrait of Lady Clementina Villiers, done by George Lethbridge Saunders on natural wafer. Clementina, with blue eyes and golden-brown sausage curls, is posed in a classic white gown with a red shawl, holding a dove in her lap. The background features a blue sky and a tree.

Condition is excellent, with strong colors and no cracks, chips, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The wood frame is also in excellent condition. Sight size is 3 1/2" by 2 7/8", wit...

A classic example of a Moses B. Russell portrait on natural wafer, fully signed and dated on the backing card. The sitter is a young woman with brown sausage curls and blue eyes. Obviously from a well-to-do family, she is wearing a blue dress with lace edged sleeves, a cameo brooch at the bodice, a gold ring, and a long gold chain, and has a mink wrap on her lap. The colors are vivid, with the dark mauve chair contrasting nicely with the blue dress. This is an uncommon Russell in that it is a 3/...

A charming and well-limned portrait on organic wafer, of a young boy in a red dress, holding a ring. The glazed aperture on the back of the foliate cast case contains a photograph of what might be the sitter.

One side of old tag attached to the mini states "From E. Helena Sherman Estate 1997," while the other side of the tag says "Male child of Chapin family Boston 1840." However, the child in the painting is at least 4 years younger than the one in the photograph. Since photography came into...

A charming miniature painting done in watercolor on organic wafer. The subject of this delightful work is a very pretty young woman, with brown hair and eyes, wearing a pleated white dress with a lace lined bodice, at the midpoint a brooch with flowers. An old label attached to the painting attributes this work to Moses B. Russell. Housed in a bronze frame with fabric backing.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no chips, cracks, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The sight size ...

A fine portrait miniature by William Charles Ross, executed in watercolor on natural organic material. The subject, a gentleman with receding brown hair and blue eyes, is fashionably attired in a brown jacket, white collar, black vest, shirt, and ascot, which sports a turquoise and gold stickpin. Ross' superb skill is evidenced by, among other things, the way he has limned the hair tones, the lifelike quality of the skin, eyes, and lips, the texturing of the different fabrics, and the jewel-like...

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...

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 miniature portrait on organic wafer. The sitter is a young gentleman with blue eyes, attired in a white shirt, black tie, jacket and vest. The background is a pleasing shaded blue. Set in a gilt metal case with an unglazed aperture on the reverse.

The cased size of the painting is 2 1/2" by 2". The painting is in excellent condition, with no cracks, bowing, or restoration. The glass on the front has a scratch.

Biographical Note: William Lewis was born in Salem MA in 178...

A fine mid 19th century watercolor on organic wafer of a good looking young man. The sitter, with blue eyes and brown hair, is wearing a black coat and tie with a white shirt.

This painting is in its original A.P. Critchlow thermoplastic velvet lined case, an item which, in and of itself, is often sought after by collectors. Note that this case was produced even before a patent was granted.

Condition of the painting is excellent, with no issues whatsoever. The case condition is also excellen...

A portrait miniature of a good looking young gentleman, well painted in watercolors on organic wafer. This fine piece is enclosed in a bronze surround.

The sight size is 2 3/4" by 2 1/2", and the overall size is 3 1/4" by 2 3/4". The condition of the miniature and the surround is excellent, with no problems or restoration at all.

A finely executed watercolor on organic wafer bust-length depiction of an attractive sitter wearing a white gown, pearl earrings, and pearl brooch. Accompanied by an old typed and written note identifying the sitter and providing other information: "This beautiful miniature of my Grandmother, / Eliza Bowen Cadwalder, was given to me by my mother, who / treasured it. My Grandfather was George Cadwalder, / California pioneer who was an original Forty-niner and / mined gold in California. / Painted...

A very fine bust-length depiction done in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, a nice looking young gentleman, is attired in a blue waistcoat, a tan and red pin-striped vest, and a white cravat. The painting is signed "Peat" at the left edge, and an old inscribed label attached verso identifies sitter as "Lord Halifax II". This attribution of the sitter must be incorrect as the dating of any Halifax lords is inconsistent and much later than when the painting was done.Housed under glass in a...

A strong watercolor portrait, on natural material, of Mrs. James Pattenden (nee Weston) in a white dress with lace collar, gold necklace, hoop earrings, a brooch at the bodice, and a pearl comb in her upswept hair. Signed and dated 1817 on the reverse, and housed in a gold locket.

The condition of this work is excellent, with no issues at all. The newer locket is also without flaws. The case size is 3 1/8" by 2 1/2".

NOTES: 1. James Pattenden married Jane Weston on February 16, 1819 at B...

A fine watercolor on natural wafer, done by Simon Jacques Rochard. The sitter, a rather sexy looking young woman with blue eyes is wearing a decollete black dress with a bow at the bodice, a white underslip, gold necklaces, and a black lace veil in her reddish-brown ringletted hair. This work is an excellent example typifying the "Romantic" genre popular at the time it was painted.

The condition is excellent, with no flaws to speak of, as is the condition of the later gold case. The sight size...

A beautifully painted portrait miniature by William Naish, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is a nice-looking gentleman with brown eyes and powdered hair with a pigtail. He is attired in a blue jacket, a white ruffled shirt, an elaborately tied white scarf, all highlighted with a slash of brilliant red. The case is copper, of very high quality, of the type with side pins holding together the front and back. The reverse of the case has a glazed aperture containing a plait of hair.

A wonderful English watercolor miniature on natural wafer, painted by Ozias Humphry. The gentleman depicted is clearly of the upper class, dressed in a dusty rose colored jacket with a lace collar, a style worn in England specifically in the 1765 to 1770 period. The case, which is probably original and of gold, comes with a 28" long gold chain attached through the bale, and is also most likely to be original.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no flaws to speak of, and no restora...

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...

An uncommon example of an early Abraham Parsell portrait miniature, done in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter is a strong featured gentleman arrayed in the height of fashion for the period: a black jacket, white collar, cravat, ruffled shirt, and vest. The painting is in a cast foliate case which has on the reverse a glazed aperture with a cast foliate rim and containing a lock of hair.

The condition of the case is excellent, as is that of the painting, which has no chips, cracks, bowing...

A watercolor on organic wafer, painted by John Smart, and initialed lower left, along with the date of 1797. The sitter is a young woman with brown curls and eyes. She is attired in a green and blue feathered cap, a white gown with lace on the collar, and a green sash.

The brushwork is impeccable, the texture and blush of the skin, the details of the eyes, the clarity of each hair, and the overall luminescence of this painting are stunning. Even when compared to the vast majority of Sma...

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. However, what can be determined is that this is a portrait of Julie von Haller, who was a member of the court of the Homburg Landg...

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 ...

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".