An antique 19th-century French Napoleonic miniature portrait of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte finely hand-painted in gouache on a natural wafer.

The painting depicts Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in his iconic stance, with his hand in his vest, dressed in his renowned uniform as the Colonel of Chasseurs Cheval de la Garde Imperia, and a sword at his side...

This is an antique French Napoleonic miniature portrait of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte from the second half of the 19th century. The portrait is finely hand-painted in enamel and is located on the front of a solid silver mirror-slide-locked pendant designed in the shape of an elaborate shield.

This stunning portrait portrays Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in his iconic stance, with his hand in his vest and dressed in his renowned uniform as the Colonel of Chasseurs Cheval de la Garde Imperia...

Antique miniature portrait from 19th-century France. It was finely hand-painted with watercolor and gouache on a natural wafer and is protected by a glass cover with convex edges. This miniature is contemporary to the Napoleonic period and vividly portrays a young Napoleon Bonaparte as the First Consul of the French Republic. The painting captures the charismatic personality of the legendary leader, exuding an aura of his authority and power...

Antique hand-painted miniature depicting "Napoleon at the Fontainebleau, 31 March 1814" after renowned artist Paul Delaroche. The intricate details and superb craftsmanship of this 19th-century artwork are truly remarkable. It is signed on the wafer panel's front and back.

This beautiful miniature painting has been meticulously hand-painted using gouache on a natural wafer panel.

It is presented in an oval-shaped, elaborate ormolu bronze frame with original convex glass...

This exquisite piece of art is an antique 19th-century French miniature portrait of one of the most iconic historical figures, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The portrait is painted on an oval convex porcelain panel, adding elegance to the piece. The painting is a true masterpiece, with fine details that showcase the artist's skill. Napoleon is depicted wearing his favorite Colonel Chasseurs Cheval de la Garde Imperial uniform, complete with gold epaulets and a white waistcoat...

An antique, early 19th-century, circa 1804 A.D. French Napoleonic miniature portrait, finely hand-painted with a fine brush in watercolor and gouache on a natural wafer. This miniature is contemporary with the Napoleonic period and depicts young Napoleon Bonaparte as the First Consul of The French Republic.

The painting is a masterful display of the artist's exceptional skills...

A nicely painted miniature portrait of a blue-eyed older woman with a strong yet kindly bearing...

A finely limned miniature of a woman wearing a lace edged black dress, a blue shawl, and gold earrings. In a 5" by 4 1/2" ebonized frame with a brass liner and a sight size of 2 1/8" by 1 3/4". Excellent condition.

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 portrait miniature, on natural wafer, of a young woman with a mien that might be described as a remembrance of things past. The sitter is wearing a mauve gown, a white fichu, and a tortoiseshell comb in her hair.

  The painting is in a 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" ebonized wood frame with a bronze liner, with a sight size diameter of 2 1/4". Both the frame and the painting are in excellent condition.   

A wonderful pair of miniature portraits of two young near identical twin boys, painted on organic material. Although it might often be a decent bet that any attractive English portraits of young children done in this time period were by William Egley (joking, sort of) I cannot, in good conscience, make that attribution, so the artist will, at least for now, remain unidentified.

Possibly Scottish, and in excellent condition, each portrait has a sight size of 1 7/8" by 1 1/2"...

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 good c1770 British miniature portrait of a older gentleman, with the artist having cleverly displayed the wrinkles of age. He is dressed simply in the style of the time, wearing a wig, a white stock, and a gray coat.

The condition of the painting is excellent, and the papier mache frame is also in good condition but with a nick at the top right edge...

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...

A miniature of a beautiful young child who unfortunately passed away in 1798. The theme here is blue and white: in the clouds, in Harriet's eyes, and the ribbon in her hair. In contrast to that are the small areas where red makes its appearance: in the necklace, the child's lips and cheeks, and, to a lesser extent, in her hair.

The reverse of the case is engraved "Harriet Franklyn/B. 9 Oct 1795 D. 31 August 1798/Daughter of/Richard Franklyn/One of the Moneyers/of H...

A striking miniature with a good attribution to George Newcombe. As opposed to the more usual bust length rendering, this is a 3/4 length pose. That, combined with the style of the dress, intentionally gives a longer, or imposing, feel to the figure.

When the organic substrate of the painting was trimmed, it was done unevenly and close to an edge, so it could be framed better than in the current half of a travel case. Sight size is 3 1/8" by 2 1/2".

A c1800 miniature, reasonably attributed to George Place...

A fine 19th century miniature version of Gilbert Stuart's "Lansdowne" portrait, the iconic 1796 life size portrait of George Washington. The painting here is done in watercolor and gouache on organic wafer. From its origin until the present day many copies of the portrait have been made, but very few on ivory.

This 3 1/8" by 2 1/2" example is in excellent condition, with no issues. The 11" by 9 3/4" gilt over gesso frame is period and might be original.

NOTES: 1. The Lansdowne port...

A c1840 fine portrait miniature of a young woman in a black dress with elaborate white lace edging around the collar and bodice, and running down the center of the dress almost to the waist. A necklace and lavalier complete her outfit.

Housed in a brown leather over wood case measuring 2 3/4" by 2 1/2" when closed. The sight size of the painting is 2 1/4" by 1 3/4". Excellent condition with wear to the case exterior..

Meet Captain William Hathaway, of Brooklyn NY, who passed away in 1834, according to the original section of his obituary, which was found inside the case of the miniature. Please note the gold anchor centered on his ruffled shirt.

The painting is finely done, with no condition issues. Any apparent flaws are due to my poor photographic skills. The in-person brightness is about midway between the first two photos. The cast foliate frame is also in excellent condition, measuring 2 3/8" by 2...

A charming c1820 Austro-Hungarian portrait miniature of Crescence Gräfin von Seilern und Aspangan, an attractive young woman with blue eyes and a high style mass of dark brown curls. Wearing a white gown and fichu, pearl earrings and a thin gold chain necklace, she is posed against a multi-colored sky above green foliage and rolling gray hills in the background. Presented in a period ebonized frame.

The painting, on natural wafer, is in excellent condition, with no issues. The apparent ga...

19th Century Frame Miniature Painting Plaque of Couple and Angle Signed

The frame is 7.9 inches (20 cm) long by 8.9 inches (22.7 cm) wide. The plaque is about 4.1 inches (10.5 cm) long by 5.5 inches (14 cm) wide. It is 1.5 Lb.

The plaque is warped and has stains, cracks, surface wears and scratches, and uneven surface (as seen in the photos).

Our Guarantee: We stand behind all of the items that we sell. That is to say, if you purchase an item from us and are un...

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 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.

Superb quality antique late 19th century finely hand painted, Indian miniature painting depicting the Taj Mahal, Mausoleum of Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Set under the glass in an oval silver frame mounted in a beautifully carved solid ebony wood frame carved with floral decoration standing on two ornate feet with an easel at the back to stand. The painting itself features the classic symmetrical view of the marble structure set behind its reflecting pool. While the fo...

This exquisite antique miniature painting, dating back to the latter half of the 19th century, presents a captivating portrayal of the Napoleonic Dutch officers known as the Red Lancers of the Imperial Guard (Lanciers rouges de la Garde impériale). The officers, garbed in their striking red uniforms, are depicted standing alongside their majestic horses at the bivouac. The intricate details of the painting, from the officers' expressions to their regal attire, offer a glimpse into the past and ...

Museum-quality antique, early 19th century, superb quality, finely hand-painted Russian miniature portrait of Count Nikolay Mikhailovich Kamensky (1776-1811), attributed to the Russian painter Ivan Gavrilovitch Grigoriev (born 1780—died in the first half of the 19th century).

Watercolor and gouache on a natural wafer.

The count is depicted in a general green uniform with a red collar embroidered with gold oak leaves, gold epaulets, a black stock, wearing a blue moiré sash of the Impe...

An interesting painting of a rather ruddy-faced gent, in a dark jacket with a striped yellow waistcoat, holding a book at the bottom center. The reverse of the case has blue and yellow striped fabric and a lock of hair, all under beveled glass which has worn reverse painted gilding. The gilded metal case is 2" by 1 7/8".

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 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".

A strong English portrait miniature on natural wafer that will cause you to see spots before your eyes. However, they are on a high-necked dress worn by this woman whose attire also features a cap or wide headband. The reverse of the 2 1/2" by 2 1/8" gilt metal case has interwoven plaits of hair. Excellent condition.

A charming portrait miniature that can be strongly attributed to the highly thought of artist Francois Dumont (1751-1831). The sitter is an attractive young woman wearing a white dress tied over a blue shirt that is accented by the blue ribbon in her hair. The overall diameter of the fabric-backed brass frame is 2 1/8".

A very similar work by Dumont is coming up at a European auction house in December 2022, with an estimate of 1500 Euro, not including premium.

Provenance: From an...

A nice portrait miniature of a handsome young clergyman, posed in front of drapery at his true right side. The painting is in a bronze surround set into a period ebonized wood frame. Excellent condition with a sight size of 3 1/4" by 2 1/2" and a frame size of 7" by 6 1/4".

An interesting portrait miniature, by William Baldwin, of a nattily attired gent. The sitter, with a very rakish look about him, is set against a bright blue background, has long thick hair, a soul patch, and is wearing a stickpin with multi-colored jewels. These are motifs, along with the use of a strong blue background, that seem to appear in a number of his minis, as uncommon as they are. In all, a strong and amusing painting, and possibly conjuring up visions of a Mississippi River gambler.

A fine c1790 portrait miniature of a woman with a somewhat serious demeanor, wearing a white fichu with lace trim, her powdered hair beneath a white bonnet with blue bows. The painting is in a period gold bracelet clasp frame. Excellent condition with an overall size of 1 5/8" by 1 1/4".

An American portrait miniature of a woman with strong features and striking presence. Excellent condition, although the photo came out somewhat blurry. A card with illegible writing was inside the traveling case which measures 4" by 3 1/8" when closed. The sight size is 2 5/8" by 2".

A nice c1814 example of a Frederick Buck miniature of a woman in a blue dress. The backing of the mini has "Caroline ??? 1814". Presented in what might be the original frame, which measures 4 3/4" by 4 1/8". The sight size is 2 3/4" by 2 1/8". Excellent condition.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Frederick Buck, the younger brother of Adam Buck, was born in Cork in 1771, where he had a thriving practice as a miniaturist for an extended period. During the Peninsular War (1808 - 1814), when Cork was a bu...

An extremely fine depiction of an older woman, attributed to Charles Jagger, done in watercolor on natural wafer. Jagger was known to draw with a high degree of accuracy and talent, especially in the faces of his subjects, and that is certainly the case here. Also note the way the lace edges and the satin dress are highlighted. The condition of this 3 1/8" by 2 1/2" work is excellent, as is that of the period 5 1/4" by 4 5/8" wood frame.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Charles Jagger (c1770 - 1827)...

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 delightful c1908 miniature painted by Mildred E. Walker (listed in Who's Who of American Art as having worked in New York.) The young child has a mass of red hair, brown eyes, and is dressed in a blue blouse. The reverse of the gilt metal case identifies the sitter as "Spiky/Aged 3 years/October 1908." Artist signed along the left edge "Mildred E. Walker 1908."

The case size is 3" by 2 3/8". The condition of the painting is excellent, with the case having some wear and oxidation on t...

A striking and colorful R. Mills miniature portrait of a blue-eyed blonde woman. The subject is wearing a white gown with lace edging and balloon sleeves, a blue necklace and sash belt. Those colors nicely complement the carefully chosen background, which is blue with pink tinges, which also complements her ruddy or over-rouged cheeks.

The painting is signed on the backing paper "Painted by Rd Mills Birmingham 1829" and is housed in a 4 1/4" by 3 5/8" bronze frame. The painting itself mea...

A well executed miniature of an English gent. The reverse of the painting identifies the sitter as Thomas Sheppard, painted by W. Bate in 1802. Presented in an unusual gold painted frame with the miniature displayed in the diagonal direction. The condition of the miniature is excellent, with the inside rim of the frame having a "ding" at around 2:00 o'clock. Sight size is 2 7/8" by 2 3/8" with an overall size of 4 1/2" by 4 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: There is not much known about William B...

A rare and signed portrait miniature by Charles Byrne. Done in an almost impressionistic style, the sitter is a blue-eyed woman simply presented in a white gown with fur trimming along the top edge. She is posed against a gauzy white background with blue tints to complement her eyes.

The miniature has a sight size of 2 1/2" by 2" and is in excellent condition. The backing paper of the painting has the following artist and sitter identifications: "Painted by / Ch Byrne / 1801 / Mary Lambor...

A nice English c1795 miniature of a gent wearing a white shirt and ascot, with a red waistcoat and black jacket. The reverse of the gilded metal case has a a central fabric section set into an opalescent surround over guilloche work. Excellent condition with an overall size of 2 5/8" by 2 1/8".

A portrait miniature of a young and handsome man unabashedly directly facing the viewer. He is dressed in the height of fashion, wearing a black jacket, light orange cravat (which nicely matches his hair), and a white vest. Presented in a gilt cast foliate case, the reverse of which features a glazed tightly woven field of plaited hair.

Because of the convex glass, the photos unfortunately show reflections, white streaks, dots, and shadows, none of which are in the miniature. The overall...

A striking American rendering of a handsome gentleman, nattily attired in a black jacket and tie, and with a patterned vibrant blue vest. In a 2 3/4" by 2 1/4" gilt metal cast foliate frame with a glazed aperture on the reverse.

An uncommon c1840 miniature by Richard Morrell Staigg, signed lower right. The sitter is a blue-eyed young woman, simply posed in a black dress with lace edging at the bodice. Presented in 1/2 of a dag case. The sight size is 3" by 2 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Richard Morrell Staig was born in England in 1817 and moved to the U.S. in 1831, first settling in Newport, RI. While there, Staigg studied under Jane Stuart, Gilbert Stuart's daughter. He then moved to Boston where he maintained a stu...

Considering all the feathers and foliage, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a bird actually living in the mass of ostrich feathers, flowers, and upswept hair of the blue-eyed sitter. This late 18th century miniature is in excellent condition and is presented in a 1 5/8" by 1 3/8" gold bracelet clasp.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Francisca Efigenia Meléndez y Durazzo, sometimes given as Francisca Meléndez de Múquiz (1770–1825) was a Spanish miniaturist and pastellist. She was the daughter of J...

A fine c1751 miniature watercolor on natural wafer, signed and dated by J. Lacon. The sitter is wearing a décolleté white dress and a lace underslip. The trimming of the blue ribbons provides a pop of color and wonderful contrast to the rest of the painting. Presented in a gilt metal reeded frame with remnants of collection labels on the reverse. 1 7/8" by 1 1/2".

Lacon (fl. c1740 - 1760) worked in Bath, England, painting miniatures and water color portraits. He also owned a popular pup...

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...

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 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".

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 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"

This antique miniature portrait from the 18th century features the Duchess Maria Amalia of Parma, née Archduchess of Austria. The portrait is delicately hand-painted on the mother of pearl and placed behind convex glass. It is mounted in an oval gold gilt frame with a scalloped rim. The frame comes with a suspension loop and bar pin for easy hanging.

The portrait showcases the Duchess wearing a stunning pink dress decorated with lace trimming and bows. She also has an ermine stole, a pin...

A c 1840 signed portrait miniature by Gabriel Aristede Passot, done on natural material. As is usual with his work, it is superbly painted, and is of a gentleman in a black coat with a multi-colored merit award ribbon.

The miniature is in fine condition, with no chips, cracks, paint loss, or bowing. A light area along the top edge is due to light reflection. The case, of high quality silver with a royal crown and a mother-of-pearl reverse, is in excellent condition. Sight size is 1 5/8" by...

Antique, 19th century, miniature portrait of a woman, finely hand-painted on an organic wafer.

Set under glass in the original oval ornate brass frame with a suspension loop. Back lined with silk fabric.

Dimensions of the oval frame: Height: 8 cm (3.15 inches). Width: 6 cm (2.36 inches).

CONDITION: The miniature is in very good condition, with no restoration or repairs, with a frame showing its age and use.

Antique, 19th century, of superb quality, finely hand-painted on an organic wafer, miniature portrait of a lady wearing an elegant dress.

The painting is signed and illegibly dated (possibly 1889) at her right shoulder. Set under glass in the original oval brass frame adorned with a bow at the top.

The back of the frame is fitted with a hinged easel and is lined with green velvet.

Dimensions of the oval frame with a bow: High: 9.7 cm (3.8 inches). Wide: 7 cm (2.76 inches).

CO...

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 nicely executed miniature portrait painted on organic wafer by Thomas Hull. The sitter is a blue-eyed gent in a blue coat, frilled chemise, and white waistcoat. Presented in a gilt metal frame with a collection label on the reverse.

The condition of the painting and the frame are excellent, with no issues. The dark areas at the edges of the painting are due to light refraction in the photos and do not appear in person. The overall size is 2 3/16" by 1 3/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Thom...