Mr C M

Despite the fact that George Engleheart recorded the names of all his 4,853 sitters in his fee book, this gentleman is now only identifiable by his initials which are picked out in seed pearls on the reverse of the frame. He has a sunned complexion and a confident air of wealth as he poses in his best brown coat, his white stock tied with a flourish. One can imagine he may have recently returned from a Grand Tour on the Continent.

The portrait resides in a handsome gold frame with a blue glass surround and a bright-cut edge, the reverse also with a blue glass surround and a navette panel revealing plaited brown hair with seed pearl initials.

The portrait has a slight bow so it does not sit entirely flat within the frame at the top. To the naked eye it appears to be in fine condition but closer examination under a glass reveals that the portrait has a restored crack that runs up through his coat from 7 o’clock along the side of his face to the top edge. The crack tapers in severity so is much less visible through the face. The frame is in fine condition apart from a few scattered seed pearls.

The miniature is being offered at an attractive price to reflect the damage and will perhaps enable a new collector to acquire a well-painted example of the master artist’s work.