A wonderful Portrait of a Dear Lady encased within a Golden Frame

THE STORY - When I attended an Antiques Fair recently this little portrait was the first piece that caught my eye. There was this wonderful woman so simply portrayed with her white alabaster coloured skin contrasting beautifully with her black dress and that soft long face with a tiny smile and fine arched eyebrows framing her light brown almond shaped eyes looking up at us and those wonderful cascade of soft dark curls. And she sits in the most wonderful little golden coloured frame which undoubtedly is much younger than the portrait. The portrait I think would indeed date to the beginning of the 1800s and I am pretty certain it is painted on enamel, and I do wonder if could have originally been from a piece of jewellery, maybe a brooch or a clasp to a necklace or a bracelet, which possibly broke and the owner wanted understandably to save this wonderful portrait hence having it reframed. The frame I think would date to the 1930s and carries a lovely framers label identifying the shop as 'Rossiters Picture Shop in Cambridge' and I absolutely love the way it has been framed with the gold mount forming a little box for her to sit in and the colour of the gold reminding me of the colour of the Suns rays.

AGE - Portrait - Circa 1810, Frame - Circa 1930.

CONDITION - The Portrait is generally in good condition but there is some marking to the background of the portrait in the top right corner which I hope can be seen in the photos. There is also a small scratch on the inner glass of the portrait which can best be seen in the fourth photo. The frame is in very good condition although I have not tested the string for its strength.

DIMENSIONS (Approx) - Framed - Height 4&3/4" / 12cm , Width 4&1/2" / 11.5cm. Depth 1&1/4" / 3cm. Image Size Height 1&1/2" / 4cm, Width 1&1/4" / 3cm

So there she is my dear lady encased in her golden frame. And I have to say I really do think who ever choose the frame made a wonderful call, as if I am correct she was once part of a beautiful piece of jewellery it is only right that she should carry on being surrounded by 'gold'.