Beschreibung:

English school, circa 1700 Portrait miniature of King William III and Queen Mary II The reverse enamelled with a crown above a thistle flanked by Royal cyphers and a motto Volentes Per Populos beneath, on a white ground 2.5cm x 2.2cm, oval In an oval gold pendant frame with a suspension loop and a cable edge, 3.4cm (1 3/8in) long overall In a later leather covered rectangular case with a handwritten provenance Provenance: by repute given to Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, by King William and Queen Mary, thence by descent. The handwritten provenance reads This fine gold locket with portraits of King William III and Queen Mary, a ducal coronet, a monogram of the - inscription Volentes Per Populos painted on white enamel, was presented to the young Duke of Beaufort on the occasion of their Majesties visit to Badminton House about 1700. The Duke, then a boy of 16, had succeeded his grandfather who died in 1699, and his mother, the Marchioness of Worcester, seems to have obtained the jewel. She subsequently married John, 1st Baron Granville and dying without further issue left the jewel to a niece Mary Granville (Mrs Delany). Mrs Delany died in 1788 and left it to her niece Mary D'Ewes (married John Port of Ilam 1770) who left it to her daughter Georgina Port (married Benjamin Waddington of Llanover 1789) who left it to her daughter Frances Waddington (married Baron de Bunsen 1817) who left it to her daughter Mary de Bunsen (married John B. Harford of Falcondale 1850) who left it to her daughter Agnes Harford (died unmarried 1936) who left it to her nephew Sir Arthur Harford, Baronet, of Falcondale. Condition report disclaimer