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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 110

A fine Georgian portrait miniature of a potentially-identified junior British infantry officer, circa 1814

Portrait miniature, likely gouache on ivorine, of a youthful infantry officer in the British Army, facing half-right wearing a red coat with green facings, a single gold epaulette to the right shoulder, gold buttons and lacing to the buttonholes, and a white leather crossbelt with an oval plate bearing a Crown and numerals '49' in silver, faced with glass and contained within an old and extremely decorative gilded frame set with a floreate pattern, the reverse with traces of its original paper backing, the reverse of the portrait bearing the handwritten text in ink: 'Pinxit 1824' and a (now illegible) name and London address, the portrait proper measuring 67mm x 88mm, including frame overall 250mm x 270mm, some minor chipping to gilding on frame, otherwise good very fine and a most attractive image

The sitter is likely Captain Harcourt Morton, who on 15 October 1814 married Martha Gammell, sister of Ensign James Gammell. Morton's military career encompassed commissioned service in the 14th, 49th, and 85th regiments of Foot and action in both the Peninsular War at the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro (May 1811), and in the War of 1812 at the Battle of Chrystler's Farm (11 November 1813). Morton retired as a Major, claimed a Military General Service Medal with two clasps for the above-mentioned battles (a unique combination) as a Lieutenant in the 85th Foot, and died on 4 June 1854 at the age of 68.

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Estimate
£400 to £600

Starting price
£320