Portrait miniatures, painted in oil, vitreous enamel, or watercolour, were popular among the elite and middle classes until the development of photography in the mid 19th century. They were commissioned as portable keepsakes for loved ones, used as a method of introduction over distance, or worn as a sign of loyalty to the subject. The earliest examples were painted on copper or vellum but from the 1710s, watercolour on thin sheets of ivory became the standard medium
The emergence of the ‘middle sort’ in the Georgian era encouraged the market for portraiture and saw both the emergence of the professionally trained miniature artist (the trio of acknowledged masters of the genre Richard Cosway, John Smart, and Richard Crosse were all born in the 1740s) and formal recognition of the genre by the Royal Academy. With a few exceptions, the last great miniature painters were from the Victorian era.
Miniatures have been granted an exception under the UK’s proposed ivory ban. However, like so many areas of the collecting market, there is a marked financial distinction between the best examples and routine pieces that are far more price sensitive. The subject is often divided by period, artist, medium, nationality, and subject matter. Survivors from the Tudor and Stuart period are scarcer than those from later eras. Children, attractive women or named military, literary or theatrical sitters are typically more commercial than anonymous middle-aged men. The presence of an original frame is also an important component when coming to a valuation.
Portrait miniatures now feature in our bi-annual sales of Old Master, British & European Art, to be held each September and March.
Our specialists hold regular valuation days. Please contact us for more information, or complete the online form to enquire about the valuation of your items.
Want to know how much your Portrait Miniatures may be worth? Fill out our easy to use form and a member of the team will be in touch with free advice shortly.
Sworders x IAP Fine Art are proud to present ‘Reflections from a Film’, a special selling exhibition of paintings by the late British artist Chris Gollon (1953–2017), running from 5 – 22 August 2025 at Sworders London Gallery, 15 Cecil Court, WC2N 4EZ.
21 July 2025
Sworders' Paint, Print, Sculpt sale on July 15 featured a remarkable selection of artist-signed prints from the now-discontinued Kent Visual Arts Loan Scheme, raising over £40,000 for Kent County Council - with standout results for Edward Bawden, Julian Trevelyan, and Monica Poole.
17 July 2025
Few figures in the art and antiques world have shaped taste and defied convention quite like Ken Bolan. From the glamour of continental showrooms to the quiet beauty of rewilded West Country landscapes, Ken’s journey has been one of bold vision and creative instinct. This landmark sale, to be held on Wednesday 24 September, opens a window into that world – a personal collection amassed over five decades, filled with sculpture, furniture, and design with soul and story.
7 July 2025