Bone, Henry Miniature portrait of the British... Lot 6450

Bone, Henry Miniature portrait of the British King William IV, in the blue uniform of a naval admiral with blue shoulder strap and breast star of the Order of the Garter and the insignia of the Order of the Bath. Enamel on gold. 3.3 x 2.6 cm (oval). In a grooved, gilt metal mount on the lid of a round, spotted dark tortoiseshell box (d. 7.5 cm, h. 2.6 cm), the white contre-enamel signed, dated and inscribed "His Majesty / William 4th. / London Octr. / 1830 / Painted by Henry Bone / R. A. Enamel Painter / to His Majesty &c &c / after the Original / by Morton". William IV (1765 - 1837) was the third son of King George III. He succeeded his brother George IV on the throne as King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also as King of Hanover in 1830 at the age of 64. His relationship with the Irish actress Dorothy Jordan, which began in 1791, produced ten illegitimate children, eight of whom reached adulthood. It was not until 1818 that William found a suitable bride, who also lovingly took care of the illegitimate children: Adelheid of Saxe-Meiningen. As the couple had no surviving children, the British throne fell to William's niece Victoria in 1837, and the Hanoverian throne to his brother Ernst August. For the source of our miniature, a painting by Andrew Morton (1802 - 1845), and other enamel versions by Henry Bone, see Remington 2010, supra. Provenance: London, Sotheby's, auction "British and Continental Portrait Miniatures" on December 1, 1987, lot 129 with illus., hammer price 620 GBP plus 10 % buyer's premium. London, Bonhams, auction "Fine Portrait Miniatures" on March 8, 1993, lot 59 with illus., hammer price 1,900 GBP plus 10 % buyer's premium.