Boy in Pink Coat, by Edward Nash, Circa 1765

A very charming British portrait miniature of a young Indian boy with black hair and black eyes, wearing a pink coat with mother-of-pearl buttons, a pink embroidered vest, and a white frilled shirt, against an olive and blue background. The painting is set in a gold pendant frame with a solid reverse.

Edward G. Nash (1778-1821) was born to Thomas Nash, a wealthy merchant, in Coventry, the sixth of eleven children. According to his relatives he was a hunchback and suffered from illness. Nash studied with Samuel Shelley, and exhibited from London addresses at the Royal Academy from 1800 to 1820. He left for Bombay in January 1801, and prospered at his trade there. He returned to England in February 1810, and died unmarried in London in 1821. Examples of his work, including miniatures he painted in India, may be seen at the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum.

Dimensions: 1 3/8 x 1 1/8 inches.

Lady in Red Shawl, Signed by Samuel John Stump, Circa 1820

A very handsome British portrait miniature of a woman with brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a white dress, a red shawl, and a lorgnette tucked into her waistband, against an olive-brown background. The miniature is signed at the lower right: Stump, and is set in the original gold pendant frame, the reverse with verre eglomise encircling the initials T.E., against a pale silk background.

Samuel John Stump ((1778-1863) was allegedly born in America, and studied at the Royal Academy Schools in 1796. He worked in London and Brighton, and exhibited at the Royal Academy, Associated Artists, the British Institute, and the Old Watercolour Society from 1802 to 1849. He painted miniatures, oil portraits, watercolor portraits, landscapes, and executed engravings. Many of his sitters were in the theatrical profession. Examples of his work are in the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Guildhall Art Gallery, which contains his self-portrait.

Dimensions: 3 x 2 ½ inches.

Gentleman in Red and Blue Coat, by Henry Spicer, Circa 1790

A British portrait miniature in enamel of a gentleman with brown eyes and powdered hair, wearing a blue coat with a red collar and yellow buttonholes, and a white frilled shirt, against an olive and blue background. The painting is set in the original gold locket frame, with a solid reverse.

Henry Spicer, F.S.A. (1743-1804), studied with Gervase Spencer and exhibited at the Society of Artists from 1765-1783, and the Royal Academy 1774-1804. He went to Dublin in 1776 and painted prominent people there, returning to London in 1782, where he was appointed as Painter in Enamel to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. His clients included Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Lord Nelson. He had two daughters, Miss J. Spicer, and Miss M.A. Spicer, who also became miniaturists.

Dimensions: 1 7/16 x 1 1/8 inches.

Young Lady in Blue, by Frederick Buck, Circa 1785

An Irish portrait miniature of a young woman with light brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue dress with white fichu, against a sky background. The portrait is set in the original gold frame, the reverse with brightwork surrounding a glazed aperture holding the gold monogram TLS set on plaited hair, and a brooch pin. The case, according to a previous owner, was made by Buck's father, who was a gold and silversmith.

Frederick Buck (1771-c.1840) was born in Cork, Ireland to the silversmith Johnathan Buck. Both Frederick and his brother Adam became popular miniaturists in their day. Frederick attended the Dublin Society Schools, and then established a large practice in Cork. He was particularly busy during the Peninsular War, when Cork was a port of embarkation, and he was in demand to paint portraits of officers passing through. Examples of Buck's work may be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Dimensions: 2 x 1 ½ inches.

Gentleman with Brown Eyes, by Andrew Plimer, Circa 1790

A British portrait miniature of a gentleman with brown eyes, wearing a powdered wig, a brown coat, a cream vest and a white stock, against a sky background. The portrait is set in the original gold frame, the reverse with cobalt glass, and a glazed aperture holding a hairwork and the gold monogram MWM.

Andrew Plimer (1763-1837), one of England's most famous miniaturists, was brother to Nathaniel Plimer, another well-known miniaturist. As adolescents, Andrew and Nathaniel ran away from home, and after various adventures came to London in 1781. Andrew took employment as a man-servant to the miniaturist Richard Cosway, who recognized his artistic talent and arranged lessons for him. In 1785 Andrew left Cosway's home and, setting up in practice on his own, launched one of the most memorable careers in the history of miniature painting. Plimer painted on vellum, card, ivory and paper, and executed portraits in oil as well as miniatures. His works can be found in most collections, including those of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, the Ashmolean Museum, and Oxford. For further information regarding this artist, see the book Andrew and Nathaniel Plimer, by Dr. G. C. Williamson.

Dimensions: 2 7/8 x 2 7/16 inches.

Girl in Feathered Hat, Holding A Dog, English School, Circa 1795

A lovely British portrait miniature of a young girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes, wearing a hat with white feathers and a white dress with a blue sash, and holding a small black and white dog with twinkling eyes, against a pale brown background. The painting is set in the original gold locket frame with an inset mat with brightwork, and a solid reverse.

Dimensions: 2 x 1 1/2 inches.

Lady with Green Eyes, by Edward Miles, Circa 1790

An attractive British portrait miniature of a woman with powdered hair and green eyes, wearing a white dress, a pearl necklace, and a white bandeau in her hair, against a sky background. The painting is set in the original gilt case, the reverse with a lock of brown hair.

Edward Miles (1752-1828) was born in Yarmouth, and became an errand boy to a surgeon who encouraged him in drawing. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1772 and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1775 to 1797. He painted portraits and taught drawing, working in Norwich (1779 and 1782), Russia (1797 to approximately 1806), and Philadelphia (1807 to 1828). In 1792 he was appointed miniature painter to the Duchess of York, and later to Queen Charlotte. While in St. Petersburg he became court painter to Tsar Paul I. Miles was friendly with Sir Thomas Lawrence, and the American miniaturist James Reid Lambdin was his pupil. He settled in Philadelphia where he became a founding member of the Academy, and later died there. His work may be found at Windsor Castle and the Victoria and Albert Museum in England, an oil portrait of him by Sir William Beechey is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and 15 miniatures by him, including a self-portrait, are held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Dimensions: 3 x 2 ½ inches.

The Reverend J. Preston, by George Place, Circa 1790

A British portrait miniature of the Reverend J. Preston, Clerk, with blue eyes and brown hair, wearing a wig, black coat, and white shirt, against a dark green background. The painting is set in the original gold metal frame, the reverse engraved: The Rev.d J. Preston Clk / Ob. 23rd Sep. 1806/ At 68.

There were several branches of Prestons in County Meath, around Dublin, during the 18th century.

George Place (d. 1805), was one of the very talented late 18th century English miniaturists who, in the wake of Meyer and Cosway's pioneer work, went on to develop highly individual styles, and flourished in the artistic atmosphere of the time. The son of a Dublin draper, Place entered the Dublin Society Schools in December 1775, where he studied under F.R. West. Place practiced for a time in Dublin, painting in miniature and in oil, and then went to London, where he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1791 to 1797. In 1798 he received permission to go to Bengal with his wife, and subsequently worked in Lucknow, where he painted portraits of Nawab and members of his court. It is likely that many of Place's paintings painted in Lucknow perished during the Mutiny. Examples of his work may be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum.

Dimensions: 3 x 2 ½ inches.

Gentleman in Embroidered Coat, by Perpete Evrard, Circa 1725

A Belgian portrait miniature, on vellum, of a gentleman with green eyes, wearing a long powdered wig, a tobacco-colored coat embroidered with flowers, a white shirt and a white cravat, against a sky background. The painting is set in the original octagon shagreen case with a decorated front.

Perpete Evrard (Eurard) (1662-1727), was born in Dinant, Belgium. He executed portraits in oil on canvas and in miniature, and worked at the Madrid and Vienna royal courts. He died in The Hague in 1727. Schidlof says of him: "He was a good miniaturist who sometimes worked in the style of Benjamin Arlaud."

Dimensions: 2 ½ x 2 inches.

Woman in Pearls, Signed by Charles James Turrell, Dated 1902

A beautiful portrait miniature of a woman with blue eyes and brown hair, wearing a white dress, a star brooch, a pearl necklace and pearl earrings, against a sky background. The painting is signed at the right: C.T./ 1902, and is set in a gold locket case with blue and green enamel on the front, and glazed blue silk on the reverse.

Charles James Turrell (1845-1932) exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Society of Miniaturists from 1873 to 1932, and also at the Paris Salon. Among his sitters were Queen Victoria, King Edward, Queen Alexandra and Queen Maude of Norway. Turrell often wintered in the United States, where he exhibited at the Brooklyn Art Association and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His sitters in the USA included the Whitney, McCormick, Vanderbilt, Ryerson and Morgan families. Turrell married an American woman, and the wedding announcement for his daughter Sybil, who married the American Dean Kirby, appeared in the New York Times on June 15, 1910. Further information on Turrell may be found in Miniatures, by Dudley Heath, pages 215 to 217. Works by him are held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Worcester Art Museum, and others. He died in White Plains, New York.

Dimensions: Image: 4 x 3 ¼ inches.

Provenance: Christies, September 28, 1999, Lot 35.