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THBJOSEPH H. DAVIS (New Hampshire/Maine, 1811-1865), Portrait of Jonathan and Mary Dockum of New Hampshire, and their two cats., Watercolor, pen and ink
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$8,000 - $12,000
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About Auction
Live
By Eldred's
Jul 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-07-22 09:30:00
2025-07-22 09:30:00
America/New_York
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- Lot Description
JOSEPH H. DAVIS
New Hampshire/Maine, 1811-1865
Portrait of Jonathan and Mary Dockum of New Hampshire, and their two cats. Mr. Dockum, reading the Dover Gazette, and Mrs. Dockum, holding open her book, are seated at a table below a memorial for "Hollis Dockum. Ag. 21 Months.". A top hat, a quill pen, a letter, a Holy Bible, a compote of fruit and another small book cover the table, while the two cats, probably a mother cat and kitten, play on the patterned carpet below. Inscribed lower margin "Jonathan Dockum. Aged 55 April 30th 1837." and "Mary Dockum. Aged 48. Decembr 28. 1837" flanking verse "When I can read my title Clear To mansions in the Skies, I'll Bid farewell to every Fear And wipe my weeping Eyes.".
Watercolor, pen and ink on paper, 10.75" x 15.5" sight. Framed 15.5" x 20".
Provenance:
Marguerite Riordan Antique Furnishings & Works of Art, Stonington, Connecticut, 1998.
Acquired by the above from a descendant of the sitters through an intermediary. It had never before been offered for sale.
The Collection of Martha Hamilton.
Notes:
The display of a mourning picture in this portrait is rare for Davis's work.
Joseph H. Davis was an itinerant portraitist, most prolific between 1832 and 1837 when he is said to have painted about 150 small-scale watercolor likenesses, mostly residents of New Hampshire and Maine.
His typical portraits depict a husband and wife in profile, seated on opposite sides of a table, often accompanied by a cat. The details of their belongings -- newspapers, Bibles, letters, top hats, bonnets and books-- and their parlor interiors -- decorated with paintings, boldly patterned carpets and tablecloths, banjo clocks, maps, swags of greenery, and lively compotes of fruits and flowers -- often provide clues to their profession, political leanings, and levels of education and refinement.
While Davis's paintings give us a unique snapshot into the everyday lives of the comfortable New Englanders of the era, little is known about Davis's own life. He identified himself as a "left-handed painter" on one portrait, but because quills, paper and pots of ink figure prominently in so many of his works, some scholars hypothesize he may also have been a traveling calligraphy teacher. This is supported by the strong calligraphic line seen in his work and the particularly fine script used to record the subject names.The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction.Condition
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