Superb Antique American Portrait Miniature of Blond Boy Child, Signed, Sterling Silver Frame Mount

Exquisitely fine portrait miniature, c. 1900-1930, a blond boy with the biggest blue eyes, a white sailor suit and broad brimmed hat. The painting is signed by artist, Morgan B. Weber, miniaturist, and the frame is a large oyster locket style in fine sterling silver with 18k gold layer (vermeil) by Black, Starr, Frost. An American firm, “America’s first jeweler since 1810”, frame is signed. The name on the back, beautifully engraved, is the child, “Morrison Ulman”, and a lock of the blondest hair is housed in the small aperture on backside. Such a sweet capture of childhood. Large, too, the frame is 3 3/4″ x 3 1/8″ oval, plus a large bale up top and a silver loop in that to hang. Oyster-shaped, it is also 1/2″ at thickest part, center. I did not take it apart so all photos are taken through the old convex cover glass.

Very good to excellent for age and type, the painting is just superb! Artist signed to the right of the boy, lower quadrant, it is light and a bit hard to see. The boy’s face, which you can see is just a stunning fine painting, is only 3/4″ from chin to hairline. Frame has no dents. It is heavy sterling silver with an 18k gold layer (vermeil) which has been partially polished away. It was covered in tarnish when I bought it, and a small amount remains. There’s a desire to polish further, but I don’t wish to remove more gold. The back side retains more gold coating than does the front of the frame. There are some surface abrasions not much visible to the naked eye, but which you can evaluate on our greatly enlarged photos. Each cover glass is the original slightly convex and highly polished, a truly elegant piece, this one!