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Beautiful double sided portrait miniature of Neal Boyle and his wife Mary Buchanan Boyle.  The watercolor on ivory portraits are encapsulated in their original copper pendant frame which measures 1 5/8" x 1 1/2", not including the hanging loop.

The portrait miniature was sent for conservation where the conservator found identification of both the sitters and the artist, M.R. Haydon, in the middle of the pendant case.  The two paper inscriptions say:

Neal

Boyle,

Married To

Mary Buchanan

the 26^th June 1791.

Painted by M^r.

M.R. Haydon

30^th of July

1808.

Mary

Buchanan,

Married To

Neal Boyle,

26^th of June 1791.

Painted by M^r

M.R. Haydon

5^th August

1808

Also found within the pendant are artist's instructions, apparently later added inside the pendant to help make the package thick enough to fit snuggly within the two pieces of convex glass.  The best I can decipher the early script is as follows:

plain glaf [glass]

a

_______ layer

with very

thin edge

The artist's instructions are obviously written by a different hand than the identification inscriptions, which lead me to believe that the pendant was opened sometime before my conservator opened it and inserted the identification, probably gathered from oral family history.   My genealogical research shows that Neal (or Niel) Boyle was born about 1778 in Kirkoswald, Ayr, Scotland.  He married Mary about 1798 or about 1803.  Unfortunately, I can't link this Neal Boyle with Mary Buchanan because one of the records shows his wife's name to be Mary Cavendish and the other records just list his wife as "Mary" or "Mary Boyle".  The buyer will get a copy of my genealogical research even though I can't say with any certainty that the research has netted the correct couple.  I can't even guarantee that these are Scottish portraits as I cannot find any information on the artist M.R. Haydon (or possibly Haydan).  I would great appreciate if anyone having information about Mr. Haydon would share it with us!

With or without firm genealogical research or information about the artist, this is a lovely, rarely found double-sided portrait miniature (and very wearable).  Circa 1808.

(#4864)       $2500

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