Lot 660: Antique Victorian Charcoal Portrait of a Young Woman, Oak and Gesso Frame, 22 x 25 in

She has been watching over somebody's parlor since the 1800s and she is not done yet. A large Victorian portrait of a young woman with ringlet curls, a lace collar and a brooch at her throat, worked in soft charcoal and crayon. Housed in the original quartersawn oak frame with an ornate silver gesso liner, the kind of frame nobody makes anymore. Instant ancestor energy for gothic decorators, collectors of antique portraiture, and anyone who wants a mysterious relative on the wall.

Condition: Good for its age. Even age toning and scattered small light spots, mostly in the upper right background. Face and lace collar are crisp. Under glass. The frame is missing a chip of ornament at the top left corner showing bare wood, with a hairline at one inner joint and rubs to the gesso trim. The oak veneer is glossy and good. Original wood board backing with a period pencil inscription.

All measurements are approximate.