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Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair
Sold by Wigs on the Green
sold SA1184620
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 #SA1184620
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Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair

18th century
Sold 5 January 2026 · Wigs on the Green
This “Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair” 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

Sadly the identity of this stylish couple has been lost to history. Seated on a red upholstered chair before a drape and a classical column, the gentleman wears a bright red waistcoat under his blue frock coat with large gold buttons, the powder from his ‘staring wings’ toupée visible on his coat collar. Also seated before a stone column as she reads a letter, his wife wears a décolleté gown and a blue-gray wrap. Her strawberry blonde hair falls over her shoulders in curls and is decorated with a jewelled rope of luscious pearls with a striped silk ribbon trailing down her back.

Set in gold plated frames with a monogram to the reverse of the gentleman, the portraits date to the 1780s and have traditionally been ascribed to the hand of Joseph Saunders. Both portraits have dust under the glass but are otherwise fine and in good colour.

In addition to painting portrait miniatures, Joseph Saunders drew pastel portraits from a studio at St Paul’s, Covent Garden. He exhibited at the Society of Artists from 1772 and at the Royal Academy between 1778 and 1807.

Framed Size: 78 x 60m

Provenance: Judy & Brian Harden Antiques ; Private Collection, UK

Ivory Exemption Ref.: 9WTMPFS3

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated these Joseph Saunders Miniature Portraits to the 18th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
6cm (2.36")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1184620
Dealers Internal Reference
9069M
Dealers Notes

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

Description
Sadly the identity of this stylish couple has been lost to history. Seated on a red upholstered chair before a drape and a classical column, the gentleman wears a bright red waistcoat under his blue frock coat with large gold buttons, the powder from his ‘staring wings’ toupée visible on his coat collar.
“
Also seated before a stone column as she reads a letter, his wife wears a décolleté gown and a blue-gray wrap.
Wigs on the Green

Her strawberry blonde hair falls over her shoulders in curls and is decorated with a jewelled rope of luscious pearls with a striped silk ribbon trailing down her back.

fig 1. A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames.
fig 1. Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair

Set in gold plated frames with a monogram to the reverse of the gentleman, the portraits date to the 1780s and have traditionally been ascribed to the hand of Joseph Saunders. Both portraits have dust under the glass but are otherwise fine and in good colour.

fig 2. A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames.
fig 2. Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair

In addition to painting portrait miniatures, Joseph Saunders drew pastel portraits from a studio at St Paul’s, Covent Garden. He exhibited at the Society of Artists from 1772 and at the Royal Academy between 1778 and 1807.

Framed Size: 78 x 60m

Provenance: Judy & Brian Harden Antiques ; Private Collection, UK

Ivory Exemption Ref.: 9WTMPFS3

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated these Joseph Saunders Miniature Portraits to the 18th Century.

Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
6cm (2.36")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1184620
Dealers Internal Ref
9069M
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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A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
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Archive I A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair

Archive II A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. View II
Archive III A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. View III
Archive IV A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. View IV
Archive V A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames. View V
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
A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames.
Joseph Saunders, Miniature Portrait Pair
Ref: SA1184620
A pair of oval Georgian miniature portrait paintings depicting a man in a blue coat and a woman holding a letter, set in metal frames.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectPaintings
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialWatercolor, ivory, brass, glass
  • ColourMulticoloured
  • MotifsOval format, Hand-painted portraits, Period costume
  • SizeH 8 cm (3 in) x W 6 cm (2 in)

Miniature portraits are small-scale paintings, often executed on ivory, vellum, or card, that achieved immense popularity during the 16th to 19th centuries as personal tokens of affection and status symbols before the widespread adoption of photography.

Artists typically utilized watercolour or gouache applied to thin slices of ivory, prepared paper, or vellum, housed within protective cases constructed from brass, copper, or gold, often backed with tortoiseshell, hair compartments, or velvet.

Authentic pieces generally exhibit fine, meticulous stippling and cross-hatching techniques under magnification, period-correct framing hardware, hand-cut glass, and artist signatures or inscriptions on the reverse or mounting.

These pieces function effectively when displayed in curated gallery walls, grouped with other small-scale works, or placed on dedicated bookshelves using miniature easels to add historical depth and intimate focal points.

Preservation requires mounting pieces away from direct sunlight and high humidity to prevent pigment fading, paint flaking, and degradation of organic materials like ivory or paper.
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