Anyone interested in following my research into the miniatures and photographs, can do so at Draft - Comstock, Stout, and etc portraits
The miniatures and photographs were all acquired for this collection at a live auction in Asheville, NC. They are accompanied by various old hand written notes identifying most of the sitters, and with clues to others.
At the same auction there were several silver items for sale which had also belonged to the Stout family. The silver was bought by other buyers, but photos of the silver items are included below, as they may be of interest to anyone researching the Stout family.
The Stout family members in the portraits are descended from two famous early settlers, Richard Stout (1615-1705) and Penelope van Princis (1622-1712), he being her second husband.In about 1642 Penelope and her first husband, John Kent, were amongst survivors of a shipwreck off Sandy Nook, 100 miles south of New Amsterdam, their intended destination. The other survivors departed north to seek safety, warning her of hostile Indians, but Penelope remained with her husband who had been badly ill on the voyage and was unable to travel.
Hostile Novesink Indians did indeed soon appear and killed her husband. Penelope was scalped by them, tomahawked, and left for dead. Despite a fractured skull, a hacked shoulder, and a cut across her abdomen exposing her intestines, so that she needed to use her hand to stop them falling out, she crawled to a hollow tree where she ate fungus for several days.
Then two Lenni Lenape Indians found her and took her to their camp, near what is now Middletown, NJ. News of a white woman living with the Indians later reached New Amsterdam and the survivors realising it must be Penelope went and located her.The image here is of a coin commemorating her rescue. For more of the story, see History of American Women and also a book by Paula E Phillips.
No doubt there will be other interesting stories associated with some of the other family names.
About three-quarters of the sitters are identified, but it will take some time to fit the family members together and see if any unidentified sitters can be named.
More will be written in August, but as a preview, here are the auction descriptions of the items.
Lot 318 - Six miniatures, Conger Stout family:(1) woman holding child, Rebecca Conger Stout with son Wright, signed "A.M.D. 1865", painted porcelain, 2-1/8 x 1-7/8 in., velvet case with gilt brass bezel,
(2) portrait of Stephen Comstock, watercolor on ivory, 3 x 2-1/2 in, gilt plate frame,
(3) portrait of George Starr, Uncle of Julia Comstock Conger, watercolor on ivory, 2-1/2 x 2 in, gold plate bezel set locket verso with window and hair weaving, gold chain stamped 14K
(4) young gentleman, watercolor on ivory, 3 x 2-3/8 in, painted leather case with gilt brass bezel, (from a note inside, now believed to be Eleutheros Dana Comstock)
(5) double portrait of children, Wright C. Stout and G. Lee Stout, painted porcelain, 2-3/4 x 2-1/8 in
(6) child, Julia C. Stout, painted porcelain, 2-3/4 x 2-1/8 in
All American School, 19C Estates of Ward and Stout Families, Bloomfield, New Jersey
Estimate: $600 - $1,200
Lot 1030 - 17 early photographs, cased images, descendants of Richard Stout (1615-1705) and Penelope Van Princis Stout (1622-1712), Middletown, New Jersey:Nine daguerreotypes: two one-quarter plate, one of John Wilson Stout, signed on mat "Holmes (Silas A.), 289 Broadway (New York)"; one of boy in uniform, noted as "possibly G. (Gideon) Lee Stout", six one-sixth plate: two of identified gentlemen, each signed "Weston (James P. or Robert), 192 B-Way N.Y."; one of spectacled man, signed "Holmes" (Silas A.); one of lady and two girls, all identified; two of gentlemen, one identified; one-ninth plate of gentleman.
Five ambrotypes: two one-fourth plate, one of spectacled gentleman noted as "G. Lee Stout, or…one of his brothers", tined, signed "C. (Charles) D. (DeForest) Fredericks, 585 Broadway (New York):", metal hinged leather case; one of lady; two one-sixth plate, one of Wright F. Conger, signed "O. (Orrin) C. Benjamin, 274 Broad St. Newark, N.J."; one of lady; one one-ninth plate of gentleman, mother-of-pearl case.
Three ferrotypes, one-sixth plate, lady and two gentlemen, each identified.
All estates of Ward and Stout Families, Bloomfield, New Jersey
Estimate: $600 - $1,200
The silver lots were all purchased by other bidders, but comprised;
Lot 104 - A coin silver oval tureen, urn finial, acanthus handles, stepped pedestal base, gadroon borders, marked "Ball, Black & Co." (New York City, working 1851-1876), inscribed "Rebecca C Stout from her Husband Christmas 1865", opposing side inscribed "Miriam L. Stout from her Grandfather 1920", 61.41 oz, 11-3/4 x 14 x 9 in.Estates of Ward and Stout Families, Bloomfield, New Jersey
Estimate: $1,500 - $3,000
Lot 429 - A Tiffany sterling mug, round with shaped sides, scroll handle, acanthus and floral decoration, inscribed on base "Rebecca Comstock Stout From Her Grandfather 1888", "7996…5136", date marks for 1869-1891, 7.77 oz.T., 3-3/4 x 4 in.
Estate of the Late Jane W. Conneen, Bloomfield, New Jersey. Estimate: $300 - $600
Lot 445 - A set of Tiffany sterling ice cream forks, Richelieu pattern, 11 pieces, date mark for 1891-1902, inscribed "Stout", 12.08 oz.T., 5-3/4 in.
The Estate of the Late Jane W. Conneen, Bloomfield, New Jersey. Estimate: $200 - $400
2 comments:
it looks nice/
it look good
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