An extremely well painted American miniature portrait of a young boy wearing a black coat, white shirt and cravat. He is posed in front of a red drapery. Rather than being done as these miniatures usually were, in watercolor on ivory, this is a far rarer oil on copper example.
The painting is in excellent condition, and has just a slight bit of rubbing at a couple of spots where it meets the period stamped brass frame...
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...
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...
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...
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)...
A strongly limned portrait miniature, on natural material, done by Augustus Fuller. The subject is a young lady with dotted white organza collar and fichu, a tall tortoiseshell comb, and ruby and diamond earrings.
Fuller did sign a number of his miniatures, but apparently always on the back. Since this example is presented in its never opened original frame, it is possible that it is a signed piece...
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 beautiful watercolor on organic material portrait of an attractive young woman wearing traditional Belgian folk attire. She is set against a blue sky with white clouds. The gold pendant case the painting is in is also a work of art, with the reverse having a woven plaits of hair with a gold surround, all set into a wide cobalt glass border.
The painting and case are in superb condition, with no flaws, however minor...
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"...
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 charming miniature portrait of two beautiful children, painted on natural material by William Egley...
A wonderful miniature by Daniel Dickinson of a handsome gentleman. The sitter is dressed in the height of fashion for the time, wearing a blue jacket with velvet lapels. Note the broadness of the brush strokes and chiseled modeling of the face, both characteristics of Daniel's style, contrasting with his brother Anson's work.
The frame deserves special mention, being gilt silver with a 14K gold back and central plaque with "AM" initials. It is quite thick and weighs about 3 1/2 ounces. The...
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 rare c1835 American miniature by Mrs. Samuel Richardson (1790 - 1852), nee Schetky. It took quite a while, using various lighting settings and filters, to finally discern the almost illegible S (?) Richardson signature along the extreme right. That led me to one of the very few examples of her miniatures, one of which is in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, MO), which confirmed my interpretation. The painting and the cast foliate case which measures 2 1/8" by 1 3/4" are in excellen...
A miniature portrait painting, watercolor on natural wafer, done by Mary Ann Knight at her best. The sitter is a very young woman with large and contemplative grayish-blue eyes and long brown hair with a jeweled ornament. She is dressed in the Grecian style in a blue gown with low decolletage topped with a draped diaphanous yellow scarf with a centered brooch. Adding a wonderful enhancement to the mythic feel of this charming work is the lyre held by the sitter.
The painting is in excelle...
A charming and beautifully rendered double portrait miniature attributed to Nathaniel Plimer. Executed in watercolors on natural wafer, he depicted, in classical style, an attractive young woman dressed in a low cut white gown with a reddish robe draped around her. The very young and strikingly angelic child, with fulsome red curls, has its arms clasped around the mother's neck.
This appealing gem is in excellent condition, with no flaws. The case is 3 1/4" by 2 3/4".
This miniature was sold...
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 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...
An oil on mahogany panel of a Claudian landscape with trees to the far left above figures approaching a river, while figures on the opposite side stand beneath a rise in the landscape with mountains in the distance under a cloudy sky. The composition and manner suggest a late painting by the Scottish Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840) or possibly his eldest son Patrick Nasmyth (1787-1831), though the brush strokes are looser than usual for either. 8 11/16 x10 ¾ with margin, 7 1/8 x 10 1/8 w/out. Fra...
A fine watercolor on natural wafer, signed lower left by Hyacinthe Mercier and dated 1813. The sitter is an attractive young woman posed in front of a column with a landscape featuring a church in the background. Presented in the original frame.
No condition issues, with a diameter of 2 3/4" and a framed size of 5 1/2" by 5 1/4".
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Mlle Hyacinth Mercier worked as a miniaturist in Paris, living at 27 rue Neuve Saint Rochet. She exhibited at the Salon in 1808 and 1810. H...
A fine miniature portrait, attributed to J.V. Sturgeon, of a gent posed in front of a green curtain with blue skies visible through the window. This type of setting is uncommon in American minis, but has been done by Sturgeon in some of his works.
The miniature is set in the original gilded copper pendant with a glazed aperture on the reverse containing plaited dark hair. Excellent condition with no issues to speak of. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 2", with an overall size of 2 5/8" by 2 1/8".
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 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 very nicely executed pair of portraits of a man and a woman, done in watercolor on card or paper. The woman is identified on the reverse as Elizabeth Gill Elford, painted by J. Mitchell Cox in 1835. The sitter's name and the artist's signature are on card that was cut out and applied to the newer backing, but were part of the original backing to the painting. The man is identified as Benjamin Elford , and signed twice on the back as painted by J. Mitchell Cox in 1835.
Beth is wearing a...
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 very nicely painted miniature portrait done in watercolor on natural organic material. Signed "D.F. Ames NY" along the lower right. The sitter is a nice looking young gentleman in a blue coat with gilt buttons, a black stock tie, off-white vest and ruffled shirt. Based on the hair style and clothing the painting was done at the beginning of the period when Ames was known to work.
The miniature is without any cracks, chips, bowing, or restoration. It is of goodly size, housed in a 3" by 2 1/...
A portrait miniature done by Moses B. Russell and I wish I could say more about this painting or the sitter, but the original backing paper, where Russell signed and often threatened people (incorrectly) not to remove the paper, has been removed. However, the painting was clearly done by Russell and closely mirrors one in the Metropolitan Museum. Excellent condition (any apparent problems in the photo are due to reflections) and presented in a 2 3/4" by 2 1/4" gilt metal case with a lock of hair...
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...
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...
An unusual miniature portrait, done by firing enamel on glass. This combination of subject matter, style, medium, and technique is quite rare for this period and area. The sitter is a quite handsome man in a black coat with a white shirt, vest and tie. He is posed on a red chair in front of a drapery done in hues shading from red to orange. In the center left is a window view of hills, a river and two ships.
The frame is original, and bears the label of F.A. Wenderoth of Phila. Since Wenderot...
A fine portrait miniature of a handsome gentleman painted on natural wafer by Henry Inman. The sitter is wearing a black jacket and stock, and a white waistcoat, shirt, and collar. Displayed in a cast foliate case with the reverse having a glazed aperture with a cast foliate surround and containing a lock of hair.
The painting is in excellent condition with no issues to note. The case is also in fine fettle, although the reverse could use a bit of cleaning. At some point mounts for a broo...
A superb miniature portrait of a handsome blue-eyed gentleman. Presented in a cast foliate frame with a hair tress in the glazed aperture on the reverse. Excellent condition. 2 3/8" by 2".
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Thomas Seir Cummings was born in England in 1804, and was taken to NYC as a child, where he remained until he retired in 1866. He died in NJ in 1894. Cummings became a student of Henry Inman in 1821 and after three years went into partnership with him, which lasted several years. Wi...
A nicely executed American miniature painting, on natural organic material, of a good-looking young gentleman. Although unsigned, there is no question that this work was done by Newcombe. Presented in a period stamped brass frame.
Excellent condition with no issues at all.
Sight size is 2" by 1 1/2", and the framed size is 3 3/4" by 3 1/4".
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: George W. Newcombe (1799-1845) was born in England and was working in NYC by 1829. He was an Associate at the National Academy and e...
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 ...
An Early 19th Century Dutch Still Life with Floweers. Oil on Board, in Original Gilt Frame. Unsigned. Dimensions; 16.5" x 19.5"; site 10" x 14". Circa 1820. In excellent condition.
A finely painted portrait miniature, on natural wafer, of a bespectacled officer of the 7th Bengal Native Infantry of the Honourable East India Company. Done in vibrant colors and wonderful; detail, the work can be strongly attributed to Raja Jivan Ram. Works from this period in this style by Indian artists are quite uncommon and highly collected. More specifically, very few works by Ram are in private hands.
The painting here is in overall excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or bowing...
A charming and beautifully rendered watercolor portrait, of a very attractive young woman, painted by Emanuel Reynolds. The sitter is dressed in the height of fashion for the period, around 1837, with a spangled diaphanous blue shawl over a low cut, pleated, black dress highlighted with a central blue brooch. Long blue and purple earrings, and a fine gold chain woven through her elaborate hairdo complete the picture of a wealthy member of the elite society.
What makes this piece truly spe...
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 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 superb portrait miniature, painted by Nathaniel Rogers in watercolor on natural material. A note inside the case identifies the sitter as Charles B. Meek. Research has found that he lived in Canandaigua, Ontario, NY. Mr. Meek, a very handsome young gentleman, is posed sitting on a red chair, wearing a black jacket, with white waistcoat, shirt, and stock. The fine skill of Rogers is evident in the detailed luminosity of the face, the shadowing in the clothing, and the overall visual impact of t...
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 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 beautifully painted miniature portrait, on natural organic material, with an attribution to Pauline Augustin. The sitter, a young gentleman of strong presence with brown eyes and long flowing brown hair, is attired in a black coat, with white stock, vest, and shirt. The photograph does not do any justice to the quality of this piece.
The sight size is 4 5/8" by 4" and the framed size is 7 1/4" by 6 5/8". The condition is excellent with no issues or flaws. Housed in a later burlwood and ebon...
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 finely rendered miniature portrait of a boy, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is wearing a black jacket, vest, and bowtie, with a white shirt with a gold stud.
The condition of the painting is excellent, with no issues. The cast foliate case is also in fine condition, engraved on the reverse with the initials "T.W." and a cutting of hair in the glazed aperture.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Harrison Scarborough (1812-1871) was born in Tennessee to parents whose family origins ...
Nicely executed miniature, on natural organic material, of a woman in bonnet and lace; enamelled frame; sight size 2 1/4" by 1 3/4"; slight paint rubbing at 5 o'clock
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 truly beautiful pair of miniature portraits, on natural wafer, exemplifying Hugh Bridport at his very best. Signed on the back of the boy,, in graphite, "Painted by Hugh Bridport, Phila".
The very handsome gentleman is wearing a black ascot, white collar, white shirt with onyx studs, and a black jacket. The young boy, with fine, light brown hair, is wearing a sky blue garment with white embroidery on the wide collar.
Both miniatures are in superb condition, with no cracks, chips, or bowing...
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 finely painted American miniature portrait of a gentleman in a black jacket and tie, posed in front of a red drapery. What makes this highly unusual for a miniature cased portrait is that it is oil paint on wood, rather the the exceedingly more common watercolor on ivory or paper.
There is a very old note in the gilt metal case identifying the sitter as John Calvin Margin, born in 1790, the son of Curtis and Claire Margin, with a reference to Boston, Mass and Binghamton NY.
The painting ...
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...
This is a mid 19th century very fine portrait of Benjamin West. The oil on canvas measures 24" x 19 3/4". On the back of the canvas it is written "Francios Agman Boudard", "Cecile Dulac Bastier", and Juliette Bastier Saide, and Louis Thomas. It has (3) dates on it being 1861, 1894, and 1926. The quality of this Portrait is exceptional and in excellent condition. West was known as the Father of American Art. The detail of this portrait and the expression of his eyes confirm his successful career....
A Philadelphia artist, Warren immigrated from his native England to the U.S. in 1807 with his older brother, William, who became manager of Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street Theater. In Philadelphia, Henry Warren studied with Thomas Sully, a famous portrait painter.
Besides painting drop curtains, Henry Warren designed and created sets, costumes and furniture for that theater. He may have traveled with the Chestnut Theater troupe when it toured to Trenton, N.J.; Glens Falls, N.Y.; and Marietta...
A hand colored aquatint titled at the bottom, “A VIEW OUSCOTTAH, FROM AN EADGAH.” Underneath the title is, “Sold & Published June 4. 1804, Edw.d Orme, His Majesty’s Printseller, 59. New Bond Street, London.” In the lower left, “lieu.t James Hunter Delin.” and in the lower right, “Harraden Aquatinta.” This plate, numbered 26 in the upper right corner, is from “Picturesque Scenery in the Kingdom of Mysore,” by James Hunter. The building is a either a mosque or a Killader’s ...
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...
A fine miniature portrait painting, done in watercolor on natural organic material, by Hugh Bridport. The sitter is a gentleman, purportedly John Trigg. On the reverse of the painting is a preliminary sketch of the subject, which Bridport is known to have done. Only a portion of the sketch is shown, as I did not want to peel back all the paper.
The condition of the miniature is excellent, with no flaws at all. It is housed, with a cover glass, in a red leather wallet-type case. Sight size is 2...
A nicely done watercolor, on natural organic material, miniature painting by William Massey Stroud Doyle, signed and dated "1814" center left. The sitter is wearing a black coat, red-striped yellow vest, and white shirt. E. Grosvenor Paine provenance.
The painting is is excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, or other problems. The black lacquered frame does have crackling. The sight size is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8", and the framed size is 4 1/2" by 3 7/8".
NOTE: Doyle (1769 - 1828) was...
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 superb miniature portrait painting by Giovanni Battista Gigola. The sitter, shown in 3/4 length, is a young man attired in a green coat with brass buttons, posed in front of a cloud filled blue sky. Unframed, and in superb condition, with no cracks, bowing, paint loss, or restoration. This fine example of Gigola's work measures 2 1/2" by 2".
Note: Giovanni Battista Gigola (1767 - 1841) is a highly esteemed Italian artist, best known for his miniature portraits on ivory. His works are in ...
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...
Fine Art (9127)
