LONDON.- This summer Christie’s presents the first of its bi-annual Centuries of Style sales, a reflection of the finest examples of silver, European ceramics, portrait miniatures and gold boxes from the early sixteenth century to the twentieth century. The sale on 10 June in London will offer collectors the chance to purchase rare and beautiful treasures from this exciting group of categories, featuring massive sliver candelabras through to jewellery adorned with miniature portraits and including works of royal provenance.

Silver
The silver section of the sale presents an exceptionally fine selection from renowned and respected Goldsmiths such as Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot and Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, as well as the opportunity to acquire works from an unusually large selection by one of the greatest silversmiths of the 18th century; Paul de Lamerie. Lamerie's family were Hugenots who had fled to England in 1689. He was apprenticed to the fellow Hugenot goldsmith Pierre Platel in 1703. After gaining his freedom in 1713 his reputation grew; Lamerie was to produce silver and gold to the highest of standards, supplying some of the greatest patrons of the day including Sir Robert Walpole, the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Thanet. The lots offered in the sale demonstrate his skilled and highly decorative work, one such example is an important set of four George II silver candlesticks from the 6th Earl of Mountrath service of 1740 (estimated at £120,000- 180,000), which are adorned with finest cast and chased rocaille ornament of shells, festoons of flowers and scroll-work.

An important set of four George II silver candlesticks from the Earl of Mountrath Service Mark of Paul de Lamerie, London, 1740. Estimate: £120,000- 180,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Each on shaped square base, cast and chased with shell and above with festoons of flowers on matted ground, the domed centre with ovals, flowers and Rococo ornament, with shell knop above, the baluster stem of square section with further shells at the shoulders and floral panels below, with floral sockets chased above with shallow fluted and matting, with detachable shell and foliage nozzles, engraved with a crest below an earl's coronet, each marked under base
9 in. (22.9 cm.)
103 oz. (3,199 gr.)
The crest and coronet are those of Algernon Coote, 6th Earl of Mountrath and Bradford (1689-1744), who married Diana Newport, daughter of Richard, 2nd Earl of Bradford in 1721. (4)

Provenance: Algernon Coote, 6th Earl of Mountrath (d.1744) and his wife Lady Diana Newport (d.1766), daughter of the 2nd Earl of Bradford.
On the death of Lord Mountrath in 1744 the candlesticks, and other chattels, passed to his wife
Diana, Dowager Countess of Mountrath, on her death bequeathed to
Caroline, Lady Milton
Caroline, Baroness Milton (1718-1775), daughter of the 1st Duke of Dorset and wife of Joseph Damer, later 1st Earl of Dorchester and by descent to her son
George Damer, 2nd and last Earl of Dorchester (1746-1808) and by descent to his sister
Caroline Damer (1752-1829) and by descent to her cousin once-removed
John Dawson, 2nd Earl of Portarlington (1781-1845) and by descent to his nephew
Henry John Reuben Dawson-Damer, 3rd Earl of Portarlington (1822-1889)
By tradition sold or exchanged, along with a significant part of the Earl of Mountrath's collection of Lamerie and other chattels, in 1881.
The Hon. William Frederick Barton Massey-Mainwaring (1845-1907), by 1902
John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913)
The Morgan Collection; Christie's, New York, 26 October 1982, lot 39.

Literature: J. Starkie Gardner, Old Silver-Work, Chiefly English from the XV to XVIII Centuries, London, 1903, pl. CXII, fig. 3.
A. E. Jones, Illustrated Catalogue of the Collection of Old Plate of J. Pierpont Morgan, London, 1908, p. 47, pl. XLII.
John Pierpont Morgan Inventory, 1937
J. B. Hawkins, The Al Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, London, 1983, pp. 48-49.
The Glory of the Goldsmith, Magnificent Gold and Silver from the Al-Tajir Collection, 1989, p. 114, illus. p. 115.
Paul de Lamerie At the Sign of the Golden Ball, London, 1990, pp. 134-135, no. 88.
C. Hartop, The Huguenot Legacy, English Silver 1680-1760 from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection, London, 1996, pp. 196-203, illus. p. 198.

Exhibited: London, St James's Court, Old Silver-Work Chiefly English from the XVth to the XVIIIth Centuries, 1902, case E, no. 1-4.
London, Christie's, The Glory of the Goldsmith, Magnificent Gold and Silver from the Al-Tajir Collection, 1989, no. 81.
London, Goldsmiths' Hall, Paul de Lamerie At the Sign of the Golden Ball, 1990, no. 88.

Notes

ALGERNON COOTE, 6TH EARL OF MOUNTRATH

Algernon Coote, 6th Earl of Mountrath (1689-1744) was the third son of Charles Coote, 3th Earl of Mountrath (c.1655-1708) and his wife Lady Isabella Dormer, daughter of 2nd and last Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at St Paul's School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1706. Coote was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Jamestown in 1715 and shortly after, following the death of his two brothers he succeeded to the earldom on 27 March 1720 and thus retired from the House, though he was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland in 1723. He entered Parliament in the same year as member for Castle Rising in Norfolk, which he represented for ten years, later standing for Hedon in Yorkshire. Though Mountrath was initially declared defeated in the contest for Hedon he successfully petitioned the House of Commons and was declared elected after all. He sat as member for the borough until his death in 1744.

In 1721 he married Lady Diana Newport (d. 1766), daughter of The Earl of Bradford. Newport was described by Horace Walpole as being " as rich and as tipsy as Cacofogo in the comedy. What a jumble of avarice, lewdness, dignity - and claret!" (C. Hartop, op. cit., p. 201). The couple had one child, a son named Charles (c. 1725-1802), who succeeded as 7th Earl of Mountrath on the death of his father in 1744. He died unmarried and without legitimate heir and so the title became extinct on his death.

THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF MOUNTRATH'S LAMERIE COMMISSIONS

These candlesticks form part of an exceptional group of silver made for Algernon Coote, 6th Earl of Mountrath (1689-1744) and his wife Diana Newport, daughter of Richard, 2nd Earl of Bradford, who he married in 1721. A brief survey of extant plate shows that the couple must have been one of Lamerie's leading clients in the late 1730's and early 1740's.

On the death of Algernon Coote the Mountrath plate passed to Diana, Countess of Mountrath

"I give unto my dear wife Diana, Countess of Mountrath all her jewells [sic] and all my things ... plate and household goods and... furniture pictures ... to and for her own use and benefit and I give unto my said dear wife all the pictures which came to me by or from her brother the late Countess [sic] of Bradford and all other pictures except the portraits of any person or persons of my own family to and for her own use and benefit and I also give unto my said dear wife the use but not the property or disposing power of my said family portraits for her life and after her decease I give said portraits to my son Charles Henry Lord Castle Coote... " (PROB 11/735).

It eventually entered the collection of the Earls of Portarlington by marriage, having been left by the Countess to Lady Caroline Milton.

"...all my silver and gilt plate which shall be remaining in my house in Grosvenor Square at the time of my decease and also my best diamond earrings my pearl .... and all other my jewells [sic] whatsoever and all my pictures and all the rest and residue of the household goods and furniture and linen which shall be remaining in my said house in Grosvenor Square at the time of my decease and also my sedan chair In trust to permit and suffer the said Caroline Lady Milton to hold and enjoy the same during her life for her separate use..." later adding "... and my will and desire is that the said plate, pictures, jewells [sic] furniture and linen may be delivered to the said Caroline Lady Milton as soon after my decease as it may by done with courtesy and convenience and that the said silver and gilt plate shall and may continue to be used by the said Caroline Lady Milton and her children respectively with the same arms and crests as are now engraved thereon without being erased or altered..." (PROB 11/923).

A group of silver and other chattels was sold by Henry John Reuben Dawson-Damer, 3rd Earl of Portarlington (1822-1889) in 1881 and while no list of items sold has yet come to light it seems likely that the present candlesticks were included in the sale, though in any case they had certainly left the collection of the Earls of Portarlington by 1902 by which time they were with the Hon. William Frederick Barton Massey-Mainwaring. Other significant Lamerie from the 1881 sale entered the collection of Colonel A. Heywood-Lonsdale and was sold at Christie's, London, 27 June 1956. That group included:

Lot 124
A pair of cups and covers, 1742, weighing 241 oz. (with later liners) and now in the Dallas Museum of art, (Christie's, New York, 22 April 1993, lot 43 for one)

Lot 125
A pair of cake baskets, 1739, weighing 123 oz. (for one see C. Hartop, The Huguenot Legacy English Silver 1680-1760 from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection, London, 1996, p. 196-203)

Lot 126
A Ewer and Basin, 1742, weighing 441 oz. (T. Schroder, The Gilbert Collection of Silver and Gold, cat. nos. 65 and 66).

Other items include an epergne of 1738 was sold by the Earl of Portalington at Christie's London, 17 December 1986 and a pair of salvers (T. Schroder, The Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver, Los Angeles, 1988, pp. 256-257).

PAUL DE LAMERIE (1688-1751)

Paul de Lamerie was born in the Netherlands in April 1688. He was the only child of Paul Souchay de la Merie, an officer in the army of William III, and his wife, Constance le Roux. They moved to London in 1689, settling in Berwick Street in Soho.

Lamerie began his journey to become one of the greatest goldsmiths working in London in the 18th century in August 1703 with his apprenticeship with Pierre Platel, another member of the growing community of Huguenots living in London at the time. Platel, who was born in Lille, arrived in London by 1688 and was made a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' by redemption by order of the Court of Aldermen in June 1699. Platel's work shows great skill, for example a set of four candlesticks formerly in the collection of Lord Harris of Peckham (Christie's, London, 25 November 2008, lot 44) and as such would have proven a very worthy teacher for Lamerie.

Having finished his apprenticeship Lamerie registered his first mark as a largeworker on 5 February 1713 and opened a workshop in Windmill Street, near Haymarket. Within a short period of time he was producing silver and gold to the highest standards, for example the octafoil salver offered here (lot 338) and the Sutherland Wine-Cistern, hallmarked in 1719, sold from the collection of the Duke of Sutherland (Christie's, London, 29 November 1961, lot 144) and now in the collection of the Minneapolis Museum of Art.

Though specifically describing the Sutherland cistern P. A. S. Phillips says "... is the earliest piece which I know of de Lamerie's highly decorative plate, showing exceptional imagination in form and ornaments, and exhibiting unexpected power in his early work" (P. A. S. Phillips, Paul de Lamerie His Life and Work, London, 1935, p. 76) but this imagination continued to be the distinguishing feature of his output, culminating in his production of plate designed in the latest Rococo fashion, for example, the highly accomplished candlesticks made for Algernon Coote, 6th Earl of Mountrath (lot 335).

Besides producing some of the greatest silver of the 18th century Lamerie also served as captain and, later, major in the Westminster volunteer association and served on committees at the Goldsmiths' Company. Though he never served as prime warden of the company he did supply them with a great deal of plate, perhaps most famously with a ewer and basin made in 1741.

As no ledgers survive it is not possible to say exactly how much plate he supplied during the course of his long career but he certainly supplied some of the greatest patrons of the arts in England, such as Sir Robert Walpole, for whom he made at least two inkstands, the Earl of Thanet and Baron Anson, for whom he produced entire dinner services, and the Duke of Bedford.

An important and massive pair of French thirteen light candelabra exhibited at the Paris International Exhibition. Mark Of Odiot, Paris, circa 1878. Estimate 100,000- 150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Each baluster stem applied with frolicking putto, the circular base on shell feet and later applied with the Royal arms of Denmark accolé with the Royal arms of France and below a Royal crown, the scrolling branches each terminating in a fluted socket with detachable nozzles, fully marked, the bases further stamped 'ODIOT A PARIS and numbered 5419 and 5420 - 38¼ in. (97 cm.) high
gross weight 1,108 oz. (34,459 gr.)
The arms are the Royal arms of Denmark accolé with the Royal arms of France with a label for difference, presumably for Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1859-1939), youngest son of King Christian IX of Denmark, and his wife Princess Marie d'Orléans (1865-1909), eldest daughter of Robert, Duke de Chartres and his wife Princess Françoise d'Orleans (1844-1925), who he married in 1886. (2)

Provenance: Purchased, as part of a service, for 40,293 French Francs from Odiot by François d'Orléans, Prince de Joinville (1818-1900) on 31 January 1886, at which time the coats-of-arms and crowns were added. Almost certainly presented by him as a wedding gift to his granddaughter Princess Marie d'Orléans (1865-1909) in honour of her marriage on 20 October 1885 to Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1859-1939), youngest son of King Christian IX of Denmark.

Literature : 'Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition', The Art Journal, London, 1878, p.77.
Le Nouveau Journal Republican, December 1878.
Monde Illustre, December 1878.
J. B. Hawkins, Masterpieces of English and European Silver and Gold, Sydney, 1979, p. 118-125.
J. B. Hawkins, The Al Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, London, 1983, pp. 197-203.
J.-M. Pinçon and O. Gaube du Gers, Odiot l'Orfévre, Paris, 1990, p. 188.

Exhibited: Paris, Paris Universal Exhibition, 1878.
Sydney, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Masterpieces of English and European Silver and Gold, January, 1980. no. 45 (part).

An important and massive three-piece silver centerpiece, exhibited at the Paris International Exhibition. Mark Of Odiot, Paris, circa 1878. Estimate 100,000- 150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

The central centrepiece oval and with openwork foliage scroll and shell cast base, supporting cast figures of Flora and Zephyr, reclining among putto, the two smaller centrepieces each supporting cast putto at play, each later applied with the Royal arms of Denmark accolé with the Royal arms of France, below cast crowns, marked on bases, the bases further stamped 'ODIOT A PARIS' and numbered 5416, 5417 and 5418
37½ in. (95 cm.) wide and 13½ in. (34 cm.) wide - 1,419 oz. (44,136 gr.)
The arms are the Royal arms of Denmark accolé with the Royal arms of France with a label for difference, presumably for Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1859-1939), youngest son of King Christian IX of Denmark, and his wife Princess Marie d'Orléans (1865-1909), eldest daughter of Robert, Duke de Chartres and his wife Princess Françoise d'Orleans (1844-1925), who he married in 1886. (3)

Provenance: Purchased as part of a service for 40,293 French Francs from Odiot by François d'Orléans, Prince de Joinville (1818-1900) on 31 January 1886, having been offered as a lottery prize for the Union of Decorative arts but not awarded, at which time the coats-of-arms and crowns were added. Almost certainly presented by him as a wedding gift to his granddaughter Princess Marie d'Orléans (1865-1909) in honour of her marriage on 20 October 1885 to Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1859-1939), youngest son of King Christian IX of Denmark.

Literature: 'Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition', The Art Journal, London, 1878, p.77.
Le Nouveau Journal Republican, December 1878.
Monde Illustre, December 1878.
J. B. Hawkins, Masterpieces of English and European Silver and Gold, Sydney, 1979, p. 118-125.
J. B. Hawkins, The Al Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, London, 1983, pp. 197-203.
J.-M. Pinçon and O. Gaube du Gers, Odiot l'Orfévre, Paris, 1990, p. 188.

Exhibited: Paris, Paris Universal Exhibition, 1878.
Sydney, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Masterpieces of English and European Silver and Gold, January, 1980, no. 45.

Notes

MAISON ODIOT

While the Maison Odiot can trace its origins back to 1690, it was Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot, the grandson of the founder, Jean-Baptiste-Gaspard Odiot, who brought the firm to the attention of the world.

Born in 1763 and becoming a master in 1785, Odiot succeeded his father in the business, steadily building the firm's reputation, coming to a particular notice following the Exposition de l'industrie held in Paris in 1802. Following the bankruptcy, in 1809, of the celebrated neoclassical silversmith Henry Auguste, who at the time was the silversmith to Emperor Napoleon, Odiot was able to purchase many of his models and designs. Odiot, along with Martin-Guillaume Biennais, soon replaced Auguste as Emperor Napoleon's silversmiths ensuring the success of both firms.

Soon Odiot was receiving orders from the French court, including a service made for Napoleon's mother, styled 'Madame Mère', (Christie's London, 19 October 2005, lot 134) and as well as from across Europe and beyond. The Russian Imperial court's love affair with French silver, most famously realised in the service made for Catherine the Great from the Parisian silversmith Jacques Roettiers and his son Jacques-Nicolas Roettiers in 1770 and subsequently presented to her lover Count Gregory Orloff (Christie's New York, 19 April 2002, lot 74), continued with commissions from the Russian court to Odiot. Among these important commissions were a massive service for Countess Branicki, the niece of Gregory Potemkin, (Christie's London, 12 June 2007, lots 120-122) and Count Nikolai Demidoff (Christie's London 5 July 2000, lots 2-3).

Odiot's work during this period is characterised by strong neoclassical forms, ornamented with cast figural elements, often attached not by the traditional soldering but with the use of bolts and rivets, a method he inherited from his collaboration with the bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843). Having survived the French Empire as well as the Bourbon monarchy, Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot retired in 1823 passing the business to his son Charles-Nicolas, who continued to build on the firms success and to enhance their reputation and their list of Royal clients such as François d'Orleans, Prince de Joinville who purchased the magnificent centrepiece which Odiot had exhibited at the 1878 Paris Universal Exposition, (lots 251 and 252).

European Ceramics
Leading the European ceramics section of the sale is a magnificent Sèvres dejeuner, complete in its original form (estimated at £100,000 - 150,000), which will appeal to any collector with a taste for cameos, antiquity or Sèvres. Each item of this exquisite service is painted to simulate an antique cameo, a popular subject in the late 18th and early 19th century. The scene depicted on the tray is The Apotheosis of Augustus, the largest surviving cameo from classical antiquity, dating to circa 23 A.D., which is framed by a border delicately painted to imitate a malachite veneer.

The records for the commission of this service reveal its royal provenance; it was a gift from Louis XVIII to his nephew’s new wife, Caroline of Naples and Sicily, in the year that they married and it is likely that this offering was to congratulate the couple on the anticipated arrival of their first child. The nature of this gift forms a striking parallel with the subject of the tray cameo; each Emperor of the dynastic line from Augustus to Caligula was succeeded not by their direct heir, but by a nephew. Thus this gift could be read as an allegory of Louis XVIII’s respect and congratulations for his nephew.

A Sèvres dejeuner, circa 1816, printed blue crowned interlaced l's to tray and fleur-de-lys above Sèvres within interlaced L's to the other wares, various incised letters and numerals, inscribed in black script. Estimate 100,000- 150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Exquisitely painted by Antoine Béranger to simulate antique cameos from the Bibliotheque du Roi, the tray painted with l'Apothéose d'Auguste from Le Grand Camée de France, the other pieces with bust-length profile classical portraits within ribbon-tied laurel roundels, with simulated malachite grounds and gilt borders with simulated jewels, cameos and gilt scrolling anthemion, the cup interiors, feet and the underside of the tray border with burnished gilding, comprising:

A rectangular tray with rounded corners (minor scratches to gilding on underside of rim)
A teapot and cover (théière Brachard) painted with portraits of Ulysee and Antinoüs (slight chipping to finial and rim of cover, handle broken and re-stuck, areas of restoration to rim and spout)
A sugar-bowl and cover (pot-à-sucre Brachard) with swan neck handles, painted with portraits of Diane and Méduse (finial broken and restuck, two chips to underside of cover, section of rim broken in two parts and restored and a restored rim chip)
A milk-jug (pot-à-lait Brachard) painted with portraits of
Minerve and Auguste (three sections of rim restuck, associated overpainting and minor chipping to upper handle terminal)
Four cups and saucers (tasses A.B. et soucoupes) painted with portraits of Agrippinne (handle broken and restuck with associated overpainting to breaks and to rim, chipping and repair to footrim), Trajan (handle broken and restuck in three places with associated overpainting, restored footrim chip), Faustine (small area of overpainting to interior of handle, minute chip to cup, small chip with associated hole to lower body) and Marc-Aurele (handle cracked through lower terminal and restored and broken from rim and restuck, small triangular section to rim broken and restored)
Four saucers (one cracked across and restored, one with shallow footrim chip)
(some scattered flaking to enamels throughout)
The tray 20½ in. (52.1 cm.) x 17 in. (43.2 cm.)

Provenance: King Louis XVIII of France, a gift to Caroline, duchesse de Berry

Notes; The Sèvres archives records in the Cote du registre d'entrée au magasin (VV1.77V°.24) for 27 December 1816:

1 plateau de déjeuner fond de malachite, camées, la copie exact de camée de la Bibliotheque dits de la Sainte Chappelle représentant l'Apothéose d'Auguste - riche décor en or et pièces brillantes (Dej) 1 pot à lait Brachard 550 (francs) 1 pot à sucre Brachard 550 (francs) 1 theyere Brachard 600 (francs) 4 tasses A.B 450 (francs per piece) 1 plateau rectangulaire 6000 (francs) 1 boîte pour le déjeuner 150 (francs)

The Cote du registre des livraisons (VBB 5, 12) records:

Ci-contre Livrée au Roi à la suite de l'exposition de la fin de l'année 1816 Au Chateau des Tuileries (...) Pour Madame la Duchesse de Berry 1 Déjeuner de 7 pièces avec grand plateau carré, copie dans le plateau du Camée de la Ste Chapelle représentant l'apothéose d'Auguste, riche décoration, en imitation de Malachite avec boîte 9650 francs

The archives also record in the Cote du registre des artistes (VJ' 23. pp. 9, 9V° and 75V°)

Béranger Peintre figuriste

Janvier 1816 1 plateau Rectangulaire, la copie du Grand Camée Sardonie représentant l'apothéose d'Auguste 1er accompte 300 (francs)
Fevrier 2e accompte 250 (francs)
Mars 3e accompte 200 (francs)
Juin 4e accompte portant sur le plateau du déjeuner Camée qui est en retouche 112 (francs)
Juillet 5e accompte 300 (francs)
Aout 6e accompte 300 (francs)
le 17 septembre plateau rectangulaire (de janvier)

The later record is for a single payment to the gilder: Boullemier ainé

1 plateau carré en Malachite et tableau de Béranger apothéose d'Auguste pour les ors relief (d'octobre) 180 (francs)

The scene depicted on the tray, 'The Apotheosis of Augustus', is a direct copy of the Grand Camée de France, the largest surviving cameo from classical antiquity. This cameo dates to circa 23 A.D. and was amongst the treasures of Sainte Chapelle before 1279. It entered the Cabinet des médailles et antiques de la Bibliothèque royale on the order of Louis XVI in 1791. The cameo represents Augustus, god-like, between Drusus Minor and Germanicus flying on Pegasus. Below them sits the Emperor Tiberius with his mother, Livia, Nero Drusus, Drusus III and Caligula. The lowest part of the cameo shows captive barbarians, under the yoke of Roman Imperial power. This work can be interpreted as a statement of legitimacy for the dynastic line form Augustus to Caligula; each Emperor was succeeded not by their direct heir, but by a nephew.

The present déjeuner was a gift from Louis XVIII to his nephew's new wife, Caroline of Naples and Sicily. In light of the Bourbon Restauration in 1814 and the more recent restoration following the Hundred Days, it is tempting to draw parallels between the subject matter and the givers recent past. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that, on the date the archives record this purchase by the King, Charles Ferdinand d'Artois, the duc de Berry and his wife would have been expecting their first child, Princess Louise Elisabeth of France who was born on 13 July 1817, who sadly survived for only a day.

Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes
Highlights of the miniatures section of the sale include an important portrait miniature of a young gentleman by Jean-Etienne Liotard, (estimated at £50,000 -70,000), which is included in the artist’s catalogue raisonné. Only thirty-four miniatures and twenty-eight enamels by Liotard are presently known, making this a rare item and must have for collectors of miniatures. In 1746 Liotard introduced the habit of signing and dating his works but the present enamel belongs to his unsigned and undated period, and more precisely to the years around 1736 to 1742, which corresponds to the artist’s travels in Italy and Constantinople. Scholars have not agreed upon Liotard’s sitter, but the technique and a certain physical resemblance have led to the suggestion that Liotard depicts Prince Charles Edward Stuart, The Young Pretender. The artist’s mastery of enamel painting is displayed by the natural-looking, deeply intense colour of the raspberry coat and the convincing modelling of the face, achieved by minimal red hatching, a technique precursory to late 19th century impressionist technique of pointillisme.

Jean-Etienne Liotard (Swiss, 1702-1789), an important portrait miniature of a young gentleman. Estimate: £50,000- 70,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

formerly identified as Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, in raspberry coat with gold buttons, gold-bordered waistcoat, frilled white cravat, powdered wig worn en queue - enamel on copper - oval, 1 7/8 in. (47 mm.) high, gold frame

Provenance: According to M. Roethlisberger and R. Loche, Liotard, Doornspijk, 2008, I, p. 258, the present miniature was sold Bonhams or Phillips, London, in or before 1995, to D.S. Lavender Antiques, London, thence to the present owner in 1995.

Literature: M. Roethlisberger R. Loche, Liotard, Doornspijk, 2008, I, p. 258, no. 50 (as 'A young gentleman'), illustrated in colour, II, fig. 51.

Notes: As pointed out in M. Roethlisberger and R. Loche (op. cit., I, p. 103), only thirty-four miniatures and twenty-eight enamels by Jean-Étienne Liotard are presently known. His earliest signed and dated enamel miniature of 1722 depicts Séléné et Endymion (Geneva, Musée de l'horlogerie et de l'émaillerie, inv. E 137). It is only twenty years later that Liotard re-introduced the habit of signing and dating his works, beginning in 1746 with his breathtaking enamel of Andrienne Cannac (Roethlisberger Loche, op. cit., II, fig. 259). The present enamel belongs to this unsigned and undated period, more precisely to the years around 1736 to 1742, corresponding to Liotard's sojourns in Italy and Constantinople.
Technically, it is closest to Liotard's enamel portraits of Princes Charles Edward and Henry Benedict Stuart (see Roethlisberger Loche, op. cit., I, pp. 254-258). Both the technique and a certain physical resemblance have led to the suggestion that the present portrait depicts Prince Charles Edward Stuart, The Young Pretender. Liotard's mastery of the art of enamel painting is displayed by the natural-looking, deeply intense colour of the raspberry coat and the convincing modelling of the face obtained by minimal red hatching, precursory to late 19th century impressionist pointillisme.

Further highlights from this category include a large selection of preparatory sketches by John Smart for portrait miniatures and a rare 17th century Dutch jewelled enamel and gold pomander (estimated at £6,000-8,000). This pear-shaped scent holder unscrews to release six hinged segments, each beautifully decorated on the exterior panels with portraits of a lady and gentleman on enamel with precious stones. The segments slide out to release six compartments for holding scent. A stunning example from the gold box section is an imperial Russian gold presentation snuff-box, set with a portrait miniature by Alois Gustav Rockstuhl (estimated at £20,000- 30,000). An oval miniature on ivory of Tsar Alexander II of Russia, his coat adorned with Russian orders, is set in an old-cut diamond surround on with six large old-cut diamonds either side.