About this lot
Description
Attributed to Richard Cosway, RA (British, 1742-1821)
Portrait miniature of George-Ferrars, later 3rd Marquess Townshend (1778-1855) when styled Lord Ferrars of Chartley watercolour on ivory, oval, verso a central oval shaped floral blue enamel panel with applied baron's coronet and initial, surrounded by a border of plaited hair and encased in a yellow metal surround, unmarked, tested as 9ct gold 5.5 x 4.5cm
Footnote: Provenance: By descent from the sitter's wife, Sarah Dunn-Gardner (d. 1858) to the present owner George Townshend was born on 3rd December 1778, the son and heir of George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend (1753-1811) and Charlotte Ellerker. From 1784 to 1807, he was known by his courtesy title as Lord Ferrers of Chartley, after his father was created Earl of Leicester. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1807, when Earl of Leicester, he married Sarah Dunn Gardner (d. 1858), heiress of William Dunn-Gardner (d. 1831) of Chatteris. Having produced no issue and been accused of impotency and homosexual relations with his Italian secretary, his wife sued for annulment of the marriage in ecclesiastical courts which was not granted. Sarah then married bigamously in 1809 John Margetts (d. 1831), a brewer of St. Ives, by whom she had several children. Following this scandal, Leicester was disinherited by his father and moved abroad, dying at Genoa in 1855, aged 77, without issue.
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