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ID #SA1239366
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£950
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Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings
For sale by Sale Antiques
for sale €1,112     $1,207
£950
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Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

19th century
For Sale by Sale Antiques
Description

Portrait Oil Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3

I am delighted to offer for sale this charming oil portrait on canvas laid to board.

The portrait depicts an half length oil portrait of Kathleen Winifred Molesworth aged 3 years, according to the information hand written on the back, although the artist is unknown, may possibly have been painted by a close family member.

She is wearing a cream dress with smocking and puffed sleaves and has shoulder length fair hair with a fringe.

Kathleen Winifred Molesworth was born in Salem, Madras, India, on 15th June, 1896. the daughter of Surgeon Captain, later Colonel, William Molesworth and his wife Winifred Anne nee Weekes.

Her father was in the Indian Medical Service and achieved the letters MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, CIE & CBE after his name.

The family are listed in Burke''s Peerage. In common with many children of parents resident in India, Kathleen was sent to Britain to boarding school at Bayham House in Folkestone, where she was in 1911 at the age of 14.

On 18th October 1919 in Simla, Bengal, she married Alfred Alyson Fennal Michin, who was a Conservator in the Indian Forest Service.

She travelled between the UK and India frequently, as her eldest son Patrick Molesworth Minchin was born on 27th August 1920 in Madras, her younger son Henry Desmond Penkivel Minchin was born in Sussex in 1923.

Patrick was a Captain in the Indian Army in WWII, but lived until 2nd July 2007 and is buried in Edrom Church, Duns, Berwickshire, along with his mother, near to the family home Cruicksfield, which is now a B listed Scottish mansion with farm attached.

Henry Desmond Penkivel, known as Desmond, was a Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion King''s Own Scottish Borders and was killed in action in WWII at Le Haut Du Bosq, Normandy on 1st July 1944.

He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery. He and the 16 men who died with him in this action, are commemorated in a memorial window and plaque in Christ Church, Duns, presumably commissioned by his parents.

He is also listed on a memorial plaque in Bonkyl Kirk in the parish of Bonkyl & Preston.

Kathleen outlived her husband, who died in 1973 aged 85, but by 1976, was living at Cruicksfield, Duns, the family seat, where she died on 17th March 1998 and was buried at Edrom Church, along with her father and eldest son. (Her eldest son had two sons, one of whom died before the age of 1 and the other died at 51 without issue, so Kathleen''s line died out, so pehaps this is why her portrait came to the market.)

FRAME

The painting has been newly framed in a 3 3/8'' gilt frame, which suits it very well.

It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

FRAMED MEASUREMENTS :

Height 28 Inches ( 71.1cm )

Width 24 Inches ( 61 cm )

MEDIUM :

Oils on Canvas / Laid to Board

CONDITION:

Very good. The surface is clean and there is no damage. The frame is new.

DELIVERY:

UK Next Day Tracked £50 / EU £120 / USA £150

TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES: 0116 2681106

Quote Our Ref: 0766

Physical Dimensions
Height
71cm (27.95")
Width
61cm (24.02")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Declaration

Sale Antiques has dated this Victorian Child Portrait Painting to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1239366
Dealers Internal Reference
0766
Dealers Notes

Payments Are Accepted By Pay-Pal Using Buy Now Tab.

Payments Also Accepted By Bank Transfer & By Stripe.

Description
Portrait Oil Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3

I am delighted to offer for sale this charming oil portrait on canvas laid to board.

The portrait depicts an half length oil portrait of Kathleen Winifred Molesworth aged 3 years, according to the information hand written on the back, although the artist is unknown, may possibly have been painted by a close family member.

“
She is wearing a cream dress with smocking and puffed sleaves and has shoulder length fair hair with a fringe.
Sale Antiques
fig 1. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 1. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

Kathleen Winifred Molesworth was born in Salem, Madras, India, on 15th June, 1896. the daughter of Surgeon Captain, later Colonel, William Molesworth and his wife Winifred Anne nee Weekes.

Her father was in the Indian Medical Service and achieved the letters MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, CIE & CBE after his name.

fig 2. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 2. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

The family are listed in Burke''s Peerage. In common with many children of parents resident in India, Kathleen was sent to Britain to boarding school at Bayham House in Folkestone, where she was in 1911 at the age of 14.

fig 3. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 3. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

On 18th October 1919 in Simla, Bengal, she married Alfred Alyson Fennal Michin, who was a Conservator in the Indian Forest Service.

She travelled between the UK and India frequently, as her eldest son Patrick Molesworth Minchin was born on 27th August 1920 in Madras, her younger son Henry Desmond Penkivel Minchin was born in Sussex in 1923.

fig 4. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 4. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

Patrick was a Captain in the Indian Army in WWII, but lived until 2nd July 2007 and is buried in Edrom Church, Duns, Berwickshire, along with his mother, near to the family home Cruicksfield, which is now a B listed Scottish mansion with farm attached.

fig 5. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 5. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

Henry Desmond Penkivel, known as Desmond, was a Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion King''s Own Scottish Borders and was killed in action in WWII at Le Haut Du Bosq, Normandy on 1st July 1944.

He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery. He and the 16 men who died with him in this action, are commemorated in a memorial window and plaque in Christ Church, Duns, presumably commissioned by his parents.

fig 6. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 6. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

He is also listed on a memorial plaque in Bonkyl Kirk in the parish of Bonkyl & Preston.

Kathleen outlived her husband, who died in 1973 aged 85, but by 1976, was living at Cruicksfield, Duns, the family seat, where she died on 17th March 1998 and was buried at Edrom Church, along with her father and eldest son. (Her eldest son had two sons, one of whom died before the age of 1 and the other died at 51 without issue, so Kathleen''s line died out, so pehaps this is why her portrait came to the market.)

fig 7. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 7. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

FRAME

The painting has been newly framed in a 3 3/8'' gilt frame, which suits it very well.

It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

FRAMED MEASUREMENTS :

Height 28 Inches ( 71.1cm )

Width 24 Inches ( 61 cm )

fig 8. A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
fig 8. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

MEDIUM :

Oils on Canvas / Laid to Board

CONDITION:

Very good. The surface is clean and there is no damage. The frame is new.

DELIVERY:

UK Next Day Tracked £50 / EU £120 / USA £150

TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES: 0116 2681106

Quote Our Ref: 0766

Height
71cm (27.95")
Width
61cm (24.02")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Date of Manufacture

Sale Antiques has dated this Victorian Child Portrait Painting to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1239366
Dealers Internal Ref
0766
Sale Antiques
Sale Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2026

Trade sales antiques & collectables direct to public no commission

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A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
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Archive I A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.

Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings

Archive II A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View II
Archive III A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View III
Archive IV A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View IV
Archive V A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View V
Archive VI A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View VI
Archive VII A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View VII
Archive VIII A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View VIII
Archive IX A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View IX
Archive X A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View X
Archive XI A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame. View XI
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Location
Leicestershire
East Midlands
United Kingdom
Verified Since May 2026
Items For Sale 74
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Location: Leicestershire, East Midlands, United Kingdom
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A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Paintings
Ref: SA1239366
A late nineteenth-century oil portrait depicting a young child in a smocked white dress set within a gilded frame.
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectOil Paintings
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian Portraiture
  • MaterialOil on Canvas, Gilt Wood Frame
  • ColourGold and Cream
  • MotifsChild portraiture, Smocked dress, Gilt frame, Foliage background
  • SizeH 71 cm (28 in) x W 61 cm (24 in) x D 4 cm (2 in)

This Victorian oil portrait depicts a three-year-old child named Kathleen Winifred Molesworth, born in Salem, Madras, India, in 1896. The nineteenth-century artwork shows a half-length representation of the subject with shoulder-length fair hair, a fringe, and a cream smocked dress with puffed sleeves, set against an outdoor foliage background. The painting uses oil on canvas laid to board and sits inside a new gilt wood frame with multi-step stepped mouldings in a bright gold finish. The piece measures 71 cm high, 61 cm wide, and 4 cm deep. It is wired for hanging and suits placement in a living room, hallway, or study above a sideboard in an English country house interior.

Victorian child portraiture often depicted young subjects in formal or detailed attire set against naturalistic backgrounds, reflecting nineteenth-century cultural emphasis on family heritage and youth.

Artists typically applied oil pigments onto stretched linen or cotton canvas, housing the completed work within moulded timber frames decorated with gold leaf gilding.

Authentic nineteenth-century oil paintings generally display natural surface craquelure, age-appropriate darkening on the unpainted reverse, and period-correct timber stretcher frames.

Displaying a historical portrait above a console table or sideboard introduces narrative texture, creating visual contrast when set against contemporary wall colours.

Position the painting away from direct sunlight and fluctuating humidity sources, cleaning the gilt frame and surface gently with a dry, soft dusting brush.
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