11-08-200911-08-2009
Skinner Auctions
Skinner AuctionsBoston MA
2482Boston
November 8, 2009 11:00 AMCalender
7

Pair of Portrait Miniatures and Three Related Daguerreotypes

Sell one like this
$5,036$4,250
Auction: American Furniture & Decorative Arts - 2482Location: BostonDate / Time: November 08, 2009 11:00AM

Description:

Pair of Portrait Miniatures and Three Related Daguerreotypes, America, mid-19th century, watercolor on ivory portrait miniatures of Albert and Mary Blair (Easton) Brown, the portrait of Albert inscribed on the interior of the case "Henry I. Brown pinxit May 18, 1844," Henry I. Brown portrait miniaturist worked in Boston, ac. 1840-51, 3 1/4 x 2 1/2 in., in a hinged leather case with gilt brass oval foremat, the portrait of Mary Brown unsigned, 3 5/8 x 2 3/4 in., and is housed in a similar case, both cases with printed labels from Smith's on Milk Street in Boston; together with three ninth plate daguerreotypes, two depicting Albert and one depicting his son Edwin c. 1855; one portrait of Albert and the portrait of Edwin with impressed name "C.V. ALLEN" on the gilt-brass foremat in matching embossed hinged leather cases; all are identified on labels affixed to the cases.

Literature: See Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, by Ellery Bicknell Crane, 1907, Worcester County, Massachusetts, pp. 39-40. Albert Brown, the son of Samuel and Ada (Hardy) Brown, was born at Seekonk, Massachusetts, March 20, 1804, and married, Mary Blair Eaton, in 1828, and together had eleven children. Albert was a tailor and opened a shop with his brother William, "W. & A. Brown," the first clothing store in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Main Street. Albert died in 1854. Edwin was born in 1844, served as a bank teller and in the Civil War, and later went into business manufacturing machine card clothing for cotton and woolen mills.
Estimate $800-1,200

Both portraits are in very good condition. The daguerreotypes all have a dark halo around the edges.

Keywords

Albert Blair, Massachusetts, Edwin, Henry I. Brown, Mary Blair (Easton) Brown, Mary Blair, Worcester County, Polaroid 88 Polacolor ER 3-1/4 x 3-3/8'' Film, 80 ASA (623959), Milk Street, Ada (Hardy) Brown, Seekonk, Albert Brown, Mary Blair Eaton, Samuel Brown, William, Main Street, bank, business manufacturing machine card clothing, bank teller