Old Masters Day Sale, including portrait miniatures

John Smart

Portrait of General Patrick Duff (1742-1803)

VAT reduced rateSotheby's Ownership InterestRestricted Species

Lot Closed

December 8, 04:05 PM GMT

Estimate

7,000 - 10,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

John Smart

London 1741 - 1811

Portrait of General Patrick Duff (1742-1803)

watercolour and bodycolour on ivory, gold frame, glazed and hair reverse, set with the initials: PD;

signed with the artist's monogram and dated lower right: J.S. / 1791 / I

6.9 by 5.4 cm., 2¾ by 2⅛ in.

This lot contains ivory. Commercial trade in ivory is regulated by multiple governments and international organisations around the world, including through prohibitions, restrictions and licensing and / or registration requirements. Different regulations apply to buyers, depending on their individual circumstances and the relevant auction / sale. Sotheby's therefore recommends that, before taking any action in relation to a potential purchase or handling of an ivory item, buyers obtain advice on the regimes and requirements applicable to them. Sotheby's will also not conduct any applications for buyers for exemption certificates, CITES licenses, registrations or similar that may be required, including the renewal or update of the same, or arrange for import or export permits needed for international shipping. A buyer's inability or delay to obtain necessary documentation, or lawfully arrange the export or import of the lot will not justify sale cancellation or a delay in payment.

Henry F. Holt, by 1865;

Sale, London, Christie's, 2 May 1961, lot 213 (as Admiral Patrick Drummond);

Sale, London, Sotheby's, 4 July 1989, lot 328 (as Captain Patrick Drummond);

Dr Erica Pohl-Stroher (1919-2916);

Her sale, London, Sotheby’s, 9 December 2021, lot 340 (£20,160)

D. Foskett, John Smart, the man and his miniatures, London 1964, p. 66 (as Captain Patrick Drummond of the Royal Artillery)

London, South Kenington Museum, Special Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures, 1865, no. 2661 (as Captain Patrick Drummond);
Leeds, 1868, no. 3090 (as Captain Patrick Drummond)

The sitter has previously been mistakenly identified as both Admiral Patrick Drummond and Captain Drummond. He is, however, General Patrick Duff who commanded the East India Company's Artillery in the 1790s.

We would like to thank Dr Andrew Cormack and Neil Jeffares for their help when cataloguing this lot.