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#1689

A very fine example of the work of Joseph H. Davis. This portrait of a young woman, who is shown standing on a colorful painted floorcloth or rug and holding a bouguet of flowers in one hand and a book in the other, is inscribed at the bottom, "Dorinda Maria York. Aged 17, November 27th 1837". She is elegantly attired in a black dress with huge puffy sleeves and with a tortoiseshell comb in her hair, a blue bow at her neck, and in elaborately lace-decorated collar and apron. The decoratively painted corner treatment is seen in other examples of the artist's work and is a highly prized characteristic. It is mirrored in the corner treatment of the black and gold frame which is period and may be original to the piece.
Dorinda was the daughter of Thomas and Deborah Elkins York of Durham, New Hampshire.
In overall excellent condition and with full borders.
Listed in "Three New England Watercollor Painters" by Gail and Norbert Savage, 1974, page 64, no.99.
Provenance: Ralph Esmerian, Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, Edwina York Cate.

#1687

A well-executed example of a male profile portrait attributed to Rufus Porter. The sitter is handsome and shown with a thoughtful expression on his young face. In its original gilded frame with rope twist decoration. Watercolor, pencil, and ink on paper. New England circa 1830.

#1580

Watercollor, pencil, and ink on paper profile portrait of a man with hollowcut silhouetted head. The sitter is shown holding a book and wearing a patterned yellow and green vest. Similar to the work of the 'Puffy Sleeve Artist'. All original. New England circa 1830.

#1672

A Portrait of the Jeffries Children, Boston
By John Carlin (1813-1891)

Painted on ivory in fine stipple, this charming double portrait is highly detailed and brightly colored. The older child is posed with a protective arm around the shoulder of the younger.   Both wear off the shoulder white dresses and have blond hair, and the background plane and their faces are executed in a palette of rose, blue, and lavender which provide a dramatic contrast.

The miniature is signed in the center beneath the figures, 'J. Carlin 1856'.

Carlin, a deaf mute, was born in Philadelphia and worked from Washington, D.C. to Boston.  He began his painting career as an ornamental sign painter at nineteen and later studied with academic masters in New York and Paris.

Original case and engraved mat.  Exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum in 1991.

SOLD

#1627

Portrait of a Girl Holding a Book of Musical Scores

Attributed to Henry Walton

A superb and vibrantly colored example of Walton's watercolor portraiture, this unidentified child is drawn full figure, facing the viewer, and holding an open book of music scores.  Her dress is elaborately detail as are her looped and beribboned braids.  Shown standing on a garden path with potted shrubs, flowering plants, and a tree which arches above her, she is similar in pose to Harriet Elizabeth Boynton, a portrait signed by Walton and dated 1845.

Ithaca, New York area. Accompanied by a letter from Leigh Jones, the author of 'Artist of Ithaca:  Henry Walton and His Odyssey' and 'Henry Walton:  19th Century American Artist'.

Site size is 5 5/8 x 9 inches and framed dimensions are 13 1/8 x 16 1/2 inches.

#1613

Rare example of a small watercolor, pencil, and ink portrait of a baby attributed to Justus DaLee.  The child is show in a full length pose seated in profile upon a pillow over a patterned rug and holding a rattle.  The image is delicately drawn, in a manner typical of the artist's work, and enclosed within an oval by black corner spandrels.  Probably New York State.  Circa 1830.

#1650

A particularly beautiful portrait of a young woman attributed to Justus Da Lee.  She is typically drawn in profile, and her face is delicately colored.  The elaborate linear patterns her dress sleeves create when silhouetted against the background  make wonderful use of the space around the figure.  Also, the small details of jewelry, hair comb, and belt buckle add to the decorative effect.  One of the best examples of a woman's portrait by Da Lee that I have seen.  Probably western NY State circa 1840.

#1440

An extremely rare watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper portrait by Justus Da Lee that includes an upper inscription, "Andrew Huntington, aged 80 years", with two fish drawn beneath, as well as a lower inscription that reads, "Taken in Pittsford (NY) on the 10 Nov. 1841".

#1680

Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper portrait of a young woman.

Attributed to Amon DaLee based on the signed example of Reverend Joel Byington and his wife. The facial drawing, bonnet details, and the figures extension into the black painted oval are characteristics that differentiate Amon's work from that of his father, Justus.

The details of this example make it a particularly fine example of Amon's work.

New York State, early 1840's.

SOLD

#1626

A pair of watercolor, ink, and pencil portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Boyce.

Attributed to Amon Da Lee, based on similarities to a signed pair of the Reverend Joe Byington and his wife Delia by Amon, the son of Justus Da Lee, who worked with his father and brother Richard painting small portraits and family records.

Western New York circa 1840.

#1671

Folky miniature portrait on ivory in a locket case of Camilla Shumacher of Poukeepsie, New York circa 1835.

#1673

This signed miniature portrait on ivory of a woman is by Anthony Meucci, possibly with his wife Nina.  The artists were trained in Rome and arrived in America in 1818 and remained active until 1827.  The miniature is meticulously detailed with each of the sitter's red curls separately formed, and her beribboned bonnet with its trailing striped ribbons and her layered lace fischu are executed with precision to emphasize their decorative qualities.  The face is modeled in cool tones against the warmer pink of a background which, in its opaque hues, indicates the artists' European backgrounds.

The artists worked from New Orleans to Maine.  This piece was found in the Boston area, and they were known to have worked in nearby Salem.

Signed 'Meucci' on the left center edge.   Circa 1825-1827.  In its original red leather case.

#1685

A small pencil and ink on paper profile portrait of a man. Virginia origin, circa 1825.

SOLD

#1674  

Ambrotype of a folk art profile portrait of a woman.  The earlier portrait appears to have been a small black and white image made in the 1820's.  It was superbly folky in style, both in its highly decorative details and in its simplified outline which gives it an abstract quality.  A 19th century Modigliani, oh, to have the original...

#1642

Attibuted to Maria Davenport

Watercolor, pencil, and ink on paper portrait of a beautifully drawn blue-eyed young woman in a blue dress whose belt features a portrait miniature.

An inscription on the back says, "Dr. Tompson, Jeff (Jefferson) City, MO., Friday A.M., $2.00, signature (undecipherable)."

Although I have not previously seen the work of Davenport done outside of NE, this clearly appears to be an example of her work.

Circa 1838-1840.

SOLD

 

#1668  

Signed W. Murray watercolor and pencil portrait of a woman in a vibrantly figured blue dress.  Dated 1850 on the front beneath the figure, this is a folky and interesting picture by an artist whose work I have not before seen. Note her watch and chain are painted with gold.

SOLD

#1646

An extremely rare and unusual example of the work of the artist referred to as the Red Book Artist.  Virtually all of the hollowcut and painted examples of three-quarter length profile portraits by this artist feature a red book in the sitter's hand.  There are a couple examples known in which the book is blue.  This is the only example I have ever seen in which the sitter's hand is drawn holding a quill pen.  In every respect, this is unquestionably the work of this artist.  A pencil inscription at the top identifies the sitter as N. Raymond who is from W. Hopkinton, NH.  A full genealogy, as well as his 1834 muster papers from a NH militia regiment, is also included.

SOLD

#1651

An extremely early small full length watercolor and ink portrait of a woman painted in a red skirt and shawl and blue jacket.  She is shown holding a bouquet of flowers and a straw basket, accoutrements of other 18th century female portraits.
It appears to be in its original striped and decorated frame.  NE or PA, last quarter 18th century.

SOLD

#1652

A very primitive watercolor and ink on paper portrait of a boy in a brown jacket.  A star or flower is painted in an upper corner of the image.  The sitter is identified as J. Packard of Hingham, MA.  Circa 1830's.

#1653

A brightly colored and decoratively embellished portrait of George Washington.  Shown with blue hair and in a blue and orange jacket with a yellow vest, his image is enclosed within a painted oval and surrounded by leaves and flowers.  PA circa 1800.

#1654

Watercolor and ink profile portraits of Beulah Heyward Fletcher and her husband Samuel.  She was born in Winchendon, MA in 1795 and he in 1792 in the adjacent town, Ashburnham.  Their marriage was in 1813 and they died in 1858 and 1860.  Their portraits date from the 1830's and are simple and direct in nature.  Note that the artist did not draw the wife's hand, probably too anatomically difficult for him/her, and her sleeve just ends at the edge of her skirt. Patterned details of their costumes add decorative effect to the portraits.

SOLD

#1617

Watercolor and gouache on paper portrait of a mother and child, inscribed in ink above the figures, 'Mrs. Helin Wilson'.  This small portrait is one of a group formerly in the collection of Colonel Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch . In this example the child, who wears an apron and bonnet, is turned away from the viewer and faces her mother.  Another example with this unusual composition is included in the Garbisch examples, and the mother there is similarly drawn with tightly curled hair, a beribboned bonnet and a scarf over the shoulders of her black dress. Circa 1835.

SOLD

#1576

Watercolor, ink and pencil on
paper portrait of Selinda Hill, signed

'Caroline Hill Peterborough, N.H.'

In its original stamped brass frame and with a genealogy of the Hill family and copies of poems by the sitter.

Examples of this artist's work are extremely rare. The only published example is the cover illustration of 'The Art of Family: Genealogical Artifacts in New England' by Simons and Benes. In that work, 'Jacob Hill and family by Caroline Hill, aged twenty-one. Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1837', a work in the collection of the PHS, the artist is shown with her family and seated around a Sheraton breakfast table. A family record of the Hills hangs on the wall behind the family group.

#1571

An early pair of miniatures portraits on ivory of a young couple. They are in their original red velvet cases with gilded brass liners. The work is similar to the work of John Brewster, Jr. Probably MA. or ME. circa 1795-1800.

#1650

Hollowcut and painted full length profile portrait of a young girl with red shoes. Her arm and the basket of flowers are collaged over the painted figure. Philadelphia circa 1820.

#1586

Miniature on ivory of a young boy holding a toy locomotive. The figure in a blue dress is enclosed in a locket case with woven hair on its reverse side. English, circa 1840's.

#1575

A rare ambrotype image of a Copley portrait. The photographer's stamp is 'Bowdoin'. I believe this to be the only evidence of a now lost painting by the great Boston painter. Painting circa 1760's, ambrotype circa 1850's.

#1491

An unusual watercolor and ink portrait on paper of a woman by an unidentified artist, shown in profile, and holding a colorful bouquet of flowers. New England circa 1830.

#1493

Rare watercolor and ink portrait attributed to Daniel Evans. Similar stylistically to his paper covered decorated boxes which have multiple painted borders and corner embellishments.

Ex. Don Walters.

Probably Maine, c.1840.

#1309

A rare intact family group of six water color on paper portraits from the Wright-Gleason family of Concord, MA. Contained within painted ovals are a young mother and five of her children. The images are still vividly colored and show the sitters holding fruit, flowers, toys, and pets. Two of the children are seated in yellow bow back windsor arm chairs, and a third is seated in a similar red chair. One child, who holds a bow and arrow and also a ball for his dog, is portrayed outside in a landscape scene that includes a house with a white picket fence.

The portraits show great charm and naivete and a highly decorative aspect, based on their simplified drawing technique, beautiful coloration, and highly detailed settings.

The family in which these pictures descended were once the owners of the Wright Tavern, a meeting place of the Minutemen.

Painted circa 1810-1815. In frames in the style of the period.

Both sides have inscription panels beneath the watercolor, ink, and pencil portraits. Both are sensitively drawn, and the blue-shadowed one is unusual in its intensity, and effect seldom achieved in portraiture.

#1465

Silhouette portrait of a woman by Miss M.A.Honeywell, who was born without hands and cut her pictures with scissors held in her mouth. References: "Silhouettes in America, 1790-1840", pp. 48 and 49: "Shades of Our Ancestors", pp. 104-109. Boston to Hartford area, early nineteenth century.

#1391

Very folky portrait on ivory of a woman in its original locket case, which is on the back monogrammed M-R. The sitter is shown within a black rick-rack border to which there is a minor repair of one edge. She wears a black lace-trimmed dress with coral jewelry, an elaborate belt buckle, and combs in her red hair. NE circa 1830.

#1397

Watercolor, pencil, and ink portrait of "Ezra Parsons, May 14, 1831" by "T.R. Robie". A fine portrait drawn by a great calligrapher. Note the beauty of the details. This is a hand I have never before seen.

#1404

Watercolor on paper profile portrait of a man in a black jacket shown against a blue background and mounted in its original locket frame. Probably NE circa 1840. A simple but quite dramatic image.

#1443

Miniature on ivory portrait of a child in a red dress.Ct. origin. Circa 1825. In its original gold pin case.

#1327

An example of an extremely small water color portrait that includes representations of a flag and flag jack, highly coveted by flag collectors, and referred to as “the Great Star.” This design was suggested after the War of 1812 by the naval hero Captain Samuel Reid. This sixteen star example represents the number of states in the Union in 1829 when our portrait of William Keith was painted. The work is signed, M.W. A ship and patriotic motto complete the design.

#1326

These representations of a young couple, the woman in a pink dress and with flowers in her hair, the faces painted white with pink highlights, are probably examples of the rarely found work of Amos Holbrook. Circa 1830.