MINIATURE PAINTINGS SELL FOR MAXIMUM PRICES AT BONHAMS FINE PORTRAIT MINIATURES SALE
A remarkable result at today’s Fine Portrait Miniatures sale at Bonhams Knightsbridge proved that whilst these beautiful paintings may only measure millimetres, they are a sizeable investment indeed. The 69-lot collection on sale was amassed by Mrs Eleanor Hamilton, spanning the history of miniature painting in a series of miniscule and often highly personal works. The sale raised a total of £315,780 with 82% of lots sold by value.
A highlight of the sale was an exquisite pair of portraits, painted by Nicholas Hilliard, depicting Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. As part of the Merchiston Collection, The Property of Mrs Eleanor Hamilton, these circa 1575 tiny portraits sold for a significant £72,000 (estimated £60,000 - 80,000).
Nicholas Hilliard (c. 1547–1619), was an English goldsmith, best known for his portrait miniatures of members of the courts of Elizabeth I and James I of England. The relationship between Elizabeth I and the 1st Earl of Leicester characterised the reign of the Queen and Leicester himself was a principal patron of Hilliard .
Also from the collection, a striking George Engleheart (British, 1750-1829) portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Grey (1770/1-1797), wearing the uniform of the 12th Regiment of Foot sold for an equally impressive £25,200, against a pre-sale estimate of £12,000 - 18,000. Elsewhere, an endearing depiction of Anne Hyde, Duchess of York (1637-1671) by Richard Gibson (British, 1615-1690) doubled estimates to sell for £21,600 (estimated £10,000 - 15,000).
Other highlights include a painting of a distinguished gentleman holding a wine goblet in an out-stretched hand by Joseph Daniel (British, circa 1760-1803) which went under the hammer for £16,800, (estimated £10,000 - 15,000) whilst another gentleman in a dashing scarlet coat by John Bogle (British, 1746-1803) went for a highly respectable £16,200 (estimated £2,000 - 3,000).
Another prominent miniature in the sale was Charles Shirreff’s (Scottish, b. circa 1750) portrayal of another handsome scarlet-coated gentleman framed in a stunning gold mount. This notable work sold for over twice its estimate at £16,200 (estimated £6,000 - 8,000).
Camilla Lombardi, Head of the Portrait Miniature department comments that: “The packed viewing days and sale room proved that this is still an incredibly popular area of collecting – we were also pleased to see so many new faces at the sale who undoubtedly helped realise some record breaking prices”.
