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Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label
Sold by Wigs on the Green
sold SA1146255
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2020
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    Small portraiture of character & historical interest
Id #SA1146255
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Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label

18th century
Sold 11 June 2025 · Wigs on the Green
This “Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label” found a buyer.

It was listed by Wigs on the Green. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.

Description

This silhouette painted on plaster is amongst Miers’ earliest work and shows a Yorkshire gentleman in a bound pigtail wig wearing a buttoned-up coat. It resides behind flat glass in the original plaster frame backed with the artist’s complete trade label no. 3 (‘Oil tarr 3s’) in use during 1782 in Leeds. The frame has been gilded (pre-1941) and there is a little chipping and an old repair to the pink plaster reverse (all perfectly stable).

John Miers’ career as a silhouette artist began in his home town of Leeds in 1781 when he advertised ‘profile shades in miniature’ at a cost of 2s 6d apiece as well as ‘elegant oval picture-frames’. This was secondary to his main business of preparing and selling paints but such was the success of his profile painting, that he soon auctioned off his stock of paints and utensils to become a full-time profilist.

Framed Size: 125 x 105mm

PROVENANCE: Purchased for the Christie Collection from Greenwoods of Harrogate in July 1941 for 12/6d

LITERATURE: British Silhouette Artists and the Work 1760-1860, illus. p.656

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Georgian Silhouette Portrait to the 18th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
12.5cm (4.92")
Width
10cm (3.94")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1146255
Dealers Internal Reference
C530
Dealers Notes

All prices include UK postage. International shipping will be at cost.

Description
This silhouette painted on plaster is amongst Miers’ earliest work and shows a Yorkshire gentleman in a bound pigtail wig wearing a buttoned-up coat.
“
It resides behind flat glass in the original plaster frame backed with the artist’s complete trade label no.
Wigs on the Green

3 (‘Oil tarr 3s’) in use during 1782 in Leeds. The frame has been gilded (pre-1941) and there is a little chipping and an old repair to the pink plaster reverse (all perfectly stable).

fig 1. An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame.
fig 1. Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label

John Miers’ career as a silhouette artist began in his home town of Leeds in 1781 when he advertised ‘profile shades in miniature’ at a cost of 2s 6d apiece as well as ‘elegant oval picture-frames’. This was secondary to his main business of preparing and selling paints but such was the success of his profile painting, that he soon auctioned off his stock of paints and utensils to become a full-time profilist.

fig 2. An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame.
fig 2. Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label

Framed Size: 125 x 105mm

PROVENANCE: Purchased for the Christie Collection from Greenwoods of Harrogate in July 1941 for 12/6d

LITERATURE: British Silhouette Artists and the Work 1760-1860, illus. p.656

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Georgian Silhouette Portrait to the 18th Century.

Height
12.5cm (4.92")
Width
10cm (3.94")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1146255
Dealers Internal Ref
C530
Wigs on the Green
Wigs on the Green
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2020

Small portraiture of character & historical interest

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Wigs on the Green Profile Page

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An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
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Archive I An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label

Archive II An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame. View II
Archive III An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame. View III
Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07962 257915
Location
York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Verified Since May 2020
Items For Sale 83
Items Sold 319
Wigs on the Green
Wigs on the Green
Verified Since May 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Verified
May 2020
For Sale
83
Sold
319
An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame.
Early Silhouette by John Miers with Leeds Label
Ref: SA1146255
An oval-framed antique silhouette portrait of a gentleman in profile against a light background, encased in an ornate gilt wood frame.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Archival Detail
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectPortrait art
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialGlass, gilt wood, paper, pigment
  • ColourGold and black
  • MotifsProfile portrait, Beaded gilt frame, Convex glass
  • SizeH 12.5 cm (5 in) x W 10 cm (4 in)

Preservation requires keeping the artwork away from direct sunlight to prevent fading of the paper or paint, maintaining stable humidity levels, and avoiding moisture inside the sealed frame.

An antique silhouette can be incorporated into a gallery wall arrangement, displayed on a narrow wall space, or placed on a mantelpiece to add historical depth and contrasting monochrome tones.

Authentic pieces often feature period-specific framing, hand-painted detailing, maker stamps or labels on the reverse, and aged materials such as oxidised metal or hand-blown convex glass.

Traditional silhouettes were often created using black paper, India ink on plaster or glass, and housed in papier-mache, wood, or gilt-brass frames, frequently featuring convex glass.

A silhouette portrait from the Georgian era is a profile likeness cut from paper or painted onto card, plaster, or glass, highly popular before the widespread availability of photography.
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