Chats on Old Miniatures

suggest one way: it is to become a millionaire, and let it be known that you are interested in miniatures, then you will find that a collection

, into whose shop there walked one day a man who said he had some little pictures to sell that he had bought with a "job lot" of old silver and gold from a working jeweller. These "little pictures" turned out to be no less a prize than a number of miniatures formerly in the collection of Charles I., which, as we know, was dispersed at the time of the Commonwealth. In the days of the King's prosperity these had been catalogued and described by the Royal Librarian, the conscientious Dutchman Van der Doort, and these miniatures bore on their back a crown and the roy

e on the look-out for them. If you go to the auction-room you are confronted with that iniquitous institution known as the "knock-out," which n

SWAY,

ATHARINE, FIFTH

W. H.

royal road. Knowledge of this sort, like most other knowledge worth possessing, has to be acquired by experience, by patience, and by degrees. The various handbooks which have appeared in such plenty of late years professing to teach "How to Identify this" and "How to

he likeness. So that the collector who would judge of some little head, it may be, is thrown back upon the necessity of having an intimate knowledge of the technical characteristics and qualities of the work before him, which is often the sole test

aying-cards, for I am told that such things as the latter are expressly fabricated. In the days of the Stuarts miniatures were painted upon pieces of playing-cards, and when framed they were often backed up by one or two other pieces fitted in behind them. These latter pieces afford valuable opportunity for the forger's exertions. Old papier-maché frames, from which some silhouette or comparatively worthless portrai

man and French. In Paris they may be found by the gross in the shops of the Rue de Rivoli and in the purlieus of the Palais Royal. And let not the collector make light of this persistent fabrication, because, remember, they are bought by somebody. The distribution of them is going on, as Americans say, "all the time." Th

matters, can give, is to be summed up in the word "caution." I s

quiring miniatures by private treat

es not benefit much. It is of the essence of "a bargain" that the coveted object-whether it be old china, old furniture, jewels, or what not-shall be acquired below its customary, real, and interchangeable value. Well, that clearly is a transaction in which both parties cannot reap the advantage, and the gain o

must be left to the individual conscience

ar names, and sometimes owning the same initials. It is important, therefore, to be able to discriminate in such cases. Thus we shall f

Betts, or Bettes, Thomas and John, probably broth

one, his son. There were also two grandsons of Henry Bone, viz., W. and C. R., who practised between 1826 and 1851. The latter of these

OBITE

OF ST

MR. BARBOR AND T

rt Museum) CHARLES

ley f

mes Chalon, R.A. Miss M. A. Chalon, the miniaturist, was a daughter of

guished from Richard Crosse, w

iniatures were painted by M

relation to each other, viz., Samuel, master of Ozias Humphr

lder and less accompli

th Thomas Day, nor with Edward Dayes, w

lfred T. Derby, a miniatu

ly, who was made "Keeper of the King's picture closet" by Wi

n works by him shown at the Winter Exhibition of the Royal Academy in 1879 portraits of the period of the Restoration and somewhat later. In the catalogue of this exhib

, viz., George and his les

son William B. Essex

father and son, and three Goupeys, Loui

ion to her contemporary, Rob

ter, Susan Penelope, and a nephew Will

sed as a miniature paint

hton, an enameller, who had a nephe

, his son, both painted

liard, father and son, ar

two Hoskins, both Joh

iaturists, viz., Nathaniel, R.A., a

ameller, and William Hop

an engraver, and a grandson (also Bernard), enamel painter to George II.; whilst Andrew Benjamin Lens

eph Moser. His daughter Mary was celebrated as a flower

on should be distinguished f

efe were brothers, a

r Oliver were

d Nathaniel, brothers, the la

r Alexander Pope, an Irish miniature painter, who exhibited at the Royal Academy

rs. A. Robertson who also painted miniatures; she was a Miss Saunders, niece of George Saunders the miniature painter. She worked in this country in the early part of the nineteenth century; going to St. Petersburg in

her and son, were

ast of the old school. His father (H. Ross) and mother both painted miniatures. Then there was also an H. Ross, jun., who exhibited at the Aca

venteenth century, and William Sadler, w

ons of Smith of Derby, viz., Thomas Cor

hibited miniatures at th

n were contemporary exhibit

the most distinguished; the other tw

s, viz., Samuel Paul and the two John Smarts, father

ture painter who may well be placed in a class by herself, for she painted without hands or feet. This lady was a Mrs. Wright, née Sarah Biffin;

of the masterpieces therein. He held his palette with his left great toe placed through the orifice in which it is usual to put the thumb, and used the brush with his other foot with astonishing freedom and precision. I remember to have seen him fasten the small metal hooks of his colour box

ARE OF M

itance or otherwise, it is not unimportant to know how to take proper care of them. These delicate works of art are always subject to the attacks of two enemies, a

I write a portrait, by one of the Olivers, I think, of Henry, Prince of Wales, that I saw in one of those interesting historical exhibitions at the New Gallery; the Stuart it must have been. This miniature was surrounded by many others, ostensibly by the same artists, and by examples of contemporary painters. It doubtless had been kept covered up during the many years it had been painted

SWAY,

ELIZ

urt fa

PRE

vison,

ter of miniatures to Queen Elizabeth, and we are told that he was instructed to paint her royal features without any shadows. My point is that nearly all his work is marked more or less by the same peculiarity. Now this may be the result of a fashion set by the Virgin Queen,

ut on a screen, placed perhaps in the embrasure of a window. No doubt the owners like to be surrounded by such things, but they should at least have some consideration for posterity. In such a room as I have spoken of you may perhaps see a case of mini

ved a safeguard. This would prevent contact with the wall, and allow of a current of air passing up behind. Although the fungus which results from damp is terribly disfiguring, it dies off in time, leaving a yellow stain. This can be removed by a skilful hand and careful treatment, and, in so far, is a less-to-be-dreaded enemy than

ve mildew on them." Well, it must be admitted that this unsightly, objectionable fungus does appear unexpectedly and in the best regulated ho

on)-miniatures on ivory, I repeat, are subject to curl, warp, and crack; changes of temperature easily affect the thin slices which the artist uses; when one of these splits, as it of

particularly liable to this mischief, the reason for which is to be found in the

e laid other strips of ivory, the whole forming a large surface upon which it was possible to paint an elaborate composition, proportionately expensive, (for that, I take it, was the principal incentive to

in valuable settings. But risks from those who break through and steal are common to all valuables, and owners of property