Portrait of Mary de Cardonnel, Countess Talbot

Francis Chalmers (1869–1945), Edinburgh, by 1945 [1];

Purchased from his sale, Miniatures, the properties of Alfred Pearson . . . Francis Chalmers . . . Miss Nora Dawson . . . and objects of art and vertu, the property of a lady, and from various sources, Christie’s, London, January 29, 1946, lot 16, as Portrait of Mary, Wife of William, Second Lord Talbot, by Bartle Charles Philip (1886–1949) and Elsie Gertrude (1888–1967) Kehoe, Saltdean, Sussex, 1946–1950 [2];

Purchased from Elsie Kehoe’s sale, Objects of Vertu, Fine Watches, Etc., Including The Property of Mrs. W. D. Dickson; also Fine Portrait Miniatures Comprising The Property of Mrs. Kehoe, Sotheby’s, London, June 15, 1950, lot 135, as Countess Talbot, by Leggatt Brothers, London, probably on behalf of Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, 1950–1958 [3];

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1958.

Notes

[1] Francis Chalmers lived at 20 Corrennie Gardens and was a senior partner of the firm of Skene, Edwards, and Garson. According to Edinburgh Evening News (September 29, 1945): 3.

[1] Described in the auction catalogue as, “Portrait of Admiral Watson, in naval uniform—by Gustavus Hamilton; and portrait of Mary, wife of William, second Lord Talbot, full face in blue décolleté dress with yellow cloak by Nathanial Hone— oval enamels—(two).” According to Art Prices Current, “Kelvie” bought lot 16 for 21 pounds. This is likely a misspelling of “Kehoe” because four years later Mrs. Kehoe sold the same portrait in her sale.

[3] Described in the auction catalogue as, “An enamel miniature of Countess Talbot, by Nathaniel Hone, signed and dated 1743 at back, nearly full face, wearing pearls in her hair, pearl ear-rings and others adorning her low-cut blue dress over which is a yellow scarf, oval, 2 in. From the Francis Chalmers Collection. Exhibited at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition, 1943. Countess Talbot, née Mary de Cardormel [sic], was the wife of William, second Lord Talbot, b. 1718.”

Leggatt bought lot 135 for 24 pounds. Archival research has shown that Leggatt Brothers served as purchasing agents for the Starrs. See correspondence between Betty Hogg and Martha Jane Starr, May 15 and June 3, 1950, Nelson-Atkins curatorial files.