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Artworks: miniatures

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The collections of The Rothschild Archive include a number of miniatures.

These pieces have largely been acquired by the Archive through gift and purchase.  In 2022, the historic London buisness made a generous gift of over 100 portraits and other art works (many of which had been displayed at the various New Court buildings for many years, and for which the Archive had de facto responsibility) to the Trustees of The Rothschild Archive.

Rothschild family Miniatures, c.1840-c.1875

000/387, 000/1369, 7 items

Collection of miniatures of members of the Rothschild family.  

  • Leonora de Rothschild (1837-1911) as young woman (oval);
  • Leonora as child, on rocking horse;
  • (Lionel) Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild (1868-1937) as child, standing on a chair (photograph, arch-shaped); 
  • Walter as baby, wearing a cloth photograph, (oval);
  • Emma, Lady de Rothschild (1844-1935) holding Walter as a baby (photograph, inlaid frame; 
  • Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) as young man (photograph, inlaid frame).  
  • Miniature of Hannah Rosebery (née de Rothschild) (1851-1890) in a presentation case.

The 'New Court' collection of Miniatures, c.1820

000/2680, 1 item

Gold and enamel locket with diamond set coronet, c.1820. Heart shaped locket with white enamel patterned on gold with a ruby, diamond and amethyst on the front; the reverse is black enamel patterned on gold with initials 'CR',. one side containing a miniature portrait of Anselm Salomon von Rothschild (1803-1874). The locket belonged to Charlotte, Baroness Anselm von Rothschild (1807-1859). Charlotte was the oldest child of Nathan Mayer and Hannah Rothschild, and she is depicted wearing the locket in the Hobday portrait of N M Rothschild (1777-1836) and his family.                       

The 'New Court' collection of Miniatures, 1833

000/1211, 1 item

Circular miniature of a young messenger holding a letter inscribed to A Monsieur de Rothschild, Paris, facing left in fur-bordered blue coat with the gold badge of the diplomatic mail incribed 'courrier du consula[t] d'au [triche]' around the Austrian double eagle, gold bordered arange waistcoat and tied black cravat. Signed and dated 'L. Gilbert 1833'.

The 'New Court' collection of Miniatures, c.1830-1900

000/2334, 39 items

Collection of miniatures of members of the Rothschild family.  The M number refers to the number on the object from a previous (now obsolete) identification scheme, M1-M39; note there is no M20; this is presumed missing or was not used and M26 was assigned to the item now to be found in 000/2680. These pieces were originally displayed in the vitrine in fifth floor mess in the third New Court.

  • Hannah, Lady Rosebery (née de Rothschild) (1851-1890) (M1)
  • Adelheid, Baroness Carl Mayer von Rothschild (née Hertz) (1800-1853) (M2)
  • Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) (M3)
  • Anselm Alexander Carl von Rothschild (1835-1854) (M4)
  • Bettina Caroline, Baroness Salomon von Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1858-1892) (M5)
  • Carl Mayer von Rothschild (1788-1855) (M6)
  • Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1839-1866) (M7)
  • Hannah, Lady Rosebery (née de Rothschild) (1851-1890) (M8)
  • Emma, Lady de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1844-1935) (M9)
  • Adèle von Rothschild (1843-1922) (M10)
  • Mayer Carl von Rothschild (1820-1886) (M11)
  • Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942) (M12)
  • Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) (M13)
  • Evelyn Achille de Rothschild (1886-1917) (M14)
  • Louise, Baroness Mayer Carl von Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1820-1894) (M15)
  • Mayer Amschel de Rothschild (1818-1874) (M16)
  • Laura Thérèse (Thérèse) von Rothschild (1847-1931) (M17)
  • Evelyn Achille de Rothschild (1886-1917) (M18)
  • Mrs Louise Sasoon, sister of Marie Perugia (M19)
  • Anthony Gustav de Rothschild (1887-1961) (M21)
  • Edouard de Rothschild (1868-1949) and Lionel Walter Rothschild (1868-1937) (M22)
  • Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879) (M23)
  • Leonora, Baroness Mayer Alphonse de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1837-1911) (M24)
  • Carl Mayer (1788-1855) and Adelheid (1800-1853) von Rothschild (M25)
  • Henriette Rothschild (1791-1866) (M27)
  • Gutle Rothschild (née Schnapper) (1753-1849) (M28)
  • Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1839-1866) (M29)
  • Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1839-1866) (M30)
  • Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) and his family (M31)
  • Juliana, Baroness Mayer Amschel von Rothschild (née de Cohen) (1831-1877) (M32)
  • Emma, Lady de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1844-1935) (M33)
  • Louisa, Lady Anthony de Rothschild (née Montefiore) (1821-1910) and her daughter Annie (1844-1926) (M34)
  • Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) (M35)
  • Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) (M36)
  • Edouard de Rothschild (1868-1949) (M37)
  • Anselm Alexander Carl (1835-1854) and Carl Mayer (1788-1855) von Rothschild (M38)
  • Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1818-1876) with Mentmore Towers in the background (M39)

The 'New Court' collection of Miniatures, Oppenheim watercolours, c.1825-1850

000/2336, 2 items

Miniatures (watercolour on ivory) after paintings by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim (c.1800-1882) illustrating the traditional story of the founding of the Rothschild fortune. These miniatures were originally displayed in the vitrine in fifth floor mess, New Court for many years.

The large originals of these paintings are at Ascott House. A further pair of framed miniatures (almost identical to the ones in 000/2336, but painted without the mezuzah visible) are in the Royal Collection, (421460 and 421110).  The Royal Collection catalogue notes that these miniatures were 'Given by Leopold [de] Rothschild to Queen Mary in 1910'. Another pair of framed miniatures (identical to the ones in 000/2336, complete with the mezuzah depicted) is known to be in a private family collection, a gift from Baron Lionel and Baroness Charlotte de Rothschild to Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge (1822-1916); a letter in the Archive collection dated March 1869 to Charlotte, Baroness Lionel from Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (Augusta's daughter) thanking her for the miniatures confirms this gift.  

  • Miniature illustrating the traditional story of the founding of the Rothschild fortune: the Elector of Hesse entrusting Mayer Amschel Rothschild with his (treasure) chests. Inscribed on reverse: The Elector of Hesse and Mayer Amschel Rothschild. Born 23 Feb 1744, married 29 Aug 1770. Died 19 Sepr 1812 and his Wife Gutle, née Schnapper. Born 23 Aug 1773. Died 7 May 1849 also their daughter Henrietta. Born 1791. Died 19 Febr 1866. Married Abraham Montefiore. 
  • Miniature illustrating the traditional story of the founding of the Rothschild fortune: the return of the (treasure) chests to the Elector of Hesse. Inscribed on reverse: The Elector of Hesse and Amschel Mayer de Rothschild. Born 12 June 1773. Married 16 Novr 1796 to Eva Hannau. Died 6 December 1855. James (Jacob Mayer) de Rothschild. Born 15 May 1792. Married 11 June 1824 to Betty de Rothschild. Died 15 November1868. Salomon Mayer de Rothschild. Born 9 September 1774. Married 26 Novr 1800 to Caroline Stern. Died 20 July 183. Henrietta de Rothschild. Born 1791. Married to Abraham Montefiore. Died 19 February 1866. Carl Mayer de Rothschild. Born 24 April 1788. Married 16 Sept 1818 to Adelheid Herz. Died 10 March 185. The Sons and Daughters of Mayer Amschel and Gutle de Rothschild née Schnapper.