Here we have a lovely British portrait miniature of a gentleman, probably late 18th to early 19th century, painted in watercolor. The sitter is shown seated in a dark blue or black coat with a white stock, holding a small snuff box in his left hand. The informal but affluent presentation, dress, and snuff box are very consistent with the culture of gentlemanly portraiture around c. 1790–1820s. The sitter is unfortunately not identifiable though there are torn fragments of the frame backing on which you can make out "b. 1752, d. 1825". Unfortunate it's not more intact. The snuff box is nevertheless a nice detail, it tells us this is a portrait of a gentleman of some social standing, and its deliberate inclusion suggests it was part of his self-presentation rather than merely an incidental object. The frame is exceptional, large, elaborate gilded wood frame very much in keeping with the importance attached to portrait miniatures in the Georgian or Regency period. It has extensive carved and/or composition ornamentation, including scrolling foliage, shells, etc. The label on the reverse reads:
HENRY FAERS
CARVER & GILDER
PICTURE FRAME AND LOOKING-GLASS MAKER
24, Northgate Street, Gloucester
That is a genuine piece of documentary evidence connecting this frame with a named Gloucester tradesman.
We did manage to find independent evidence that Henry Faers was associated with the picture frame trade in Gloucester. Auction records document paintings retaining labels identifying them as from the Henry Faers Fine Art Repository, Gloucester, including an English School portrait dated circa 1840. Historical sources also record Faers as a Gloucester carver and gilder at Northgate Street, which supports the attribution of your label rather than it being a later generic dealer's label.
Good to very good, age considered. As you can see, there is a crack down the center of the painting plaque and some "smudges" or wipe marks to the painting itself in spots as if someone attempted to clean it at some point in the past. The frame is in great shape, all visible in the images. See picture for measurements.
