Rare Pair of 18th Century Miniature Portraits on Ivory of a Named Husband & Wife Couple

An utterly charming, and rare, pair of 18th century miniature portraits on ivory of a named husband & wife couple, Mr Thomas Sharp (1754-1824) and Mrs Elizabeth Sharp. They were married in 1784, and lived at Lanaway in Godalming, Surrey, England. This was in exactly the same time and period of their not too distant neighbour, the famous novelist Miss Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) – there is a Museum today dedicated to Jane Austen in Godalming itself: http://www.godalmingmuseum.org.uk/index.php?page=jane-austen

The sale of this piece is covered by Ivory Registration: JWSHB6FK

Perhaps they knew each other or they knew of each other…..?

Mr Thomas Sharp wears a black frock coat with frogging and a white tied cravat. He was possibly a clergyman – he has a fine and noble face, with blue eyes and fair hair.

Mrs Elizabeth Sharp wears a pale blue shawl over a white dress with lace front and lace ruffed collar set off by a matching white headdress - certainly Miss Jane Austen and Mrs Elizabeth Sharp dressed very similarly. Mrs Elizabeth Sharp has brown eyes and brunette curled hair.

These two delightful miniatures are of oil on ivory and set in a sturdy glazed frame measuring 18.5 cm High and 26.5 cm Wide. The actual portraits are both 6.5 cm High and 5.0 cm Wide. It has not been possible to identify the artist's hand with any certainty but this is a delicate and enchanting portrait duo.

The condition of this pair of miniature portraits is excellent with only very minor evidence of wear and tear to the frame itself which appears to date back to circa 1930s.

Provenance: on the reverse of the frame the following text is typewritten:

“Thomas Sharp, 1754/1824

Elizabeth Sharp. Married, 1784.

Lived “Lanaway” Godalming.

G.E.S. Gt Grandfather & Mother”

It is thought that possibly “G.E.Sharp” was the Great Grandchild of Thomas and Elizabeth Sharp, and that this proud Great Grandchild arranged for the joint framing of his / her Great Grandparents’ miniature portraits – a moving gesture.

About the Date of Manufacture

This splendid antique was produced in the era of King George III (1760-1820). This was a period in history when Great Britain was achieving its apogee of power and wealth. The British Empire at its height was the largest empire in history and, for nearly a century, it was the foremost global power. The British Empire held sway over 400 million people, nearly a quarter of the world population at the time, and the Royal Navy was the most powerful navy in the world, Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson having defeated the French navy at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. This charming conjunction of miniature portraits well represents the confidence, comfort and strength of this particular era.

All of the items that we advertise for sale have been as accurately described as possible and are in excellent condition, unless otherwise stated. Please note that we are also able to arrange a full shipping service for our customers.

We offer a 14 day returns policy. In the unlikely event that you are not completely satisfied with your purchase we will issue a full refund of the purchase price less the return transport costs with an approved courier once an item is received by us in the same condition as it was originally dispatched.

We look forward to being of service.