All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1361678 (stock #na134)
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...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Oil : Europe : Pre 1837 VR item #392495 (stock #1199)
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...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1409089 (stock #a1702)
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)...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1355924 (stock #a1568)
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...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1362051 (stock #a1599)
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...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1254890 (stock #a1358)
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...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1344783 (stock #a1538)
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...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1466026 (stock #a1882)
This charming miniature, done in watercolor on natural wafer, shows a little girl who obviously just spent time working diligently picking enough berries to fill her basket. Judging by her slight smile, she either had fun doing that, or is anticipating enjoying the (literal) fruits of her labors...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1372506 (stock #a1644)
A simple but charming Benjamin Trott watercolor of an attractive blue-eyed young woman with a ribbon in her hair and dressed in a white empire gown. There are no condition issues. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 1 7/8", and the later frame is 4 7/8" by 3 78".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:
1. From "The Smithsonian Art Museum": Benjamin Trott (c1770 - 1843), thought to have been born in Boston, ranks with Edward Greene Malbone and Charles Fraser as one of America's best miniaturists...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1328780 (stock #a1491)
A very nicely painted miniature portrait done in watercolor on natural organic material...
All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1359460 (stock #a1596)
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 ...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1294857 (stock #a1433)
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...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1347483 (stock #a1549)
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...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1121425 (stock #a1272)
One of the finest miniature paintings done by William Massey Stroud Doyle, showing a young man in a black jacket, white shirt and tie with a stickpin. The finely limned gentleman is shown against a white cloud-filled blue sky. Signed "Doyle 1822" at the lower right.

Not only is the painting itself beautiful, but the original case is also very fine, containing a lock of hair in the glazed rear aperture. Condition of the mini is excellent, with no cracks, chips, or restoration. The case is also...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1334939 (stock #a1504)
A wonderful portrait miniature, painted on organic wafer, by Andre Larue, known as Mansion. The sitter is a beautiful young woman wearing an off the shoulder dress with lace trim and bows and holding a black shawl as she leans against a red pillow on red sofa. Displayed in a later, but very nice, wood frame with a bronze liner.

The condition of this stunning piece is superb, with no cracks, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The sight size is 4 5/8" by 3 5/8", while the framed size is 6 7/8" ...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1837 VR item #1456916 (stock #a1774)
A fine miniature portrait, attributed to J.V. Sturgeon, showing a woman in a black dress with a sunset behind her. Presented in its original gilt foliate case with empty glazed aperture. 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".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Sturgeon, active 1825-1835, is by no means a well-known artist in spite of having exhibited at the American Academy of Fine Arts in N.Y. He is also known to have work...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1800 item #1445854 (stock #a1769)
A fine miniature of a handsome gent with strawberry blond hair, painted by Henry Jacob Burch. Adding to the desirability of this example is the Burch trade card that was fitted to the back of the painting, rarely seen in his works.

Excellent condition, with an overall size of 2 3/4" by 2 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Henry Jacob Burch was born in London in 1763. He entered the Royal Academy Schools at the age of 16, and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1787 to 1834. Examples of his wor...

All Items : Fine Art : Paintings : Miniatures : Pre 1800 item #1382988 (stock #a1666)
A finely painted portrait miniature of a young girl, presented in its original gilded case, the reverse with woven plaits of hair under glass. The sitter, who has a slight smile playing on her lips, has blue eyes and brownish-blonde hair, and is simply dressed in a white top.

The painting and the case are both in excellent condition with no issues at all. The case size is 1 5/8" by 1 3/8".