English School (first quarter 19th century) Portrait of an officer in the Royal Staff Corps

English School (first quarter 19th century)

Portrait of an officer in the Royal Staff Corps, shoulder length

Watercolour on ivory

7.8cm x 5.7cm, oval

In a black papier mache rectangular frame

Provenance: sale these rooms 8th June 2011, lot 133.

The Royal Staff Corps was a corps of the British Army which was founded circa 1800 and disbanded in circa 1837. It was generally responsible for short-term military engineering works, with the Royal Engineers and Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners remaining responsible for permanent works, but the boundaries between the functions of the corps were blurred. The Royal Staff Corps answered to the Quartermaster-General instead of to the Board of Ordnance. It also seems to have provided personnel for military police and orderly duties. On its disbandment most of its personnel transferred to the Royal Engineers and the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners.

Condition Report:
The miniature has not been removed from the mount and has been inspected under glass. There is no apparent paint loss or evidence of re-painting. The ivory appears flat no visible signs of any cracking. The frame is in good condition. The reverse of the frame has handwritten notes about the purchase of the miniature at Dreweatts in 2011, and other notes about the Royal Staff Corps.