Rare Miniature Watercolour of Lord FitzRoy Somerset or Field Marshal 1st Baron Raglan set with Crystal and Steel Beads circa 1830

Here on offer is a rare open-faced miniature watercolour of Field Marshal Lord FitzRoy Somerset Raglan, set with an oval frame of crystal and steel beads.

The painting itself depicts Lord Fitzroy Somerset in a red military dress uniform (no hat) with gold epaulettes and shows him without his right arm.

Somerset saw action during the Hundred Days: he served on Wellington's staff at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815 and at the Battle of Waterloo two days later (where he had to have his right arm amputated and then demanded his arm back so he could retrieve the ring that his wife had given him).

The oval picture is framed by 14 (should be 15, one is missing) small cylindrical crystal beads that are in turn surrounded by tiny multi faceted steel beads.

All these beads are stitched to a raised padded oval base and there are additional steel beads stitched to the outer edge.

At the top there is a hanging loop, again made up of tiny multi faceted steel beads.

The back of the mount has a dark blue material finish.

The overall condition is not mint, the picture itself has some small dents that have split the canvas in three places that could be easily repaired if the picture was removed and repaired by a professional.

Then some of the stitching has broken and some of the tiny steel beads are missing from the bottom left edge and one crystal bead is missing from the left side, which could again be replaced/repaired if so required.

Field Marshall FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, GCB, PC (30 September 1788 – 28 June 1855), known before 1852 as Lord FitzRoy Somerset, was a British Army officer. When a junior officer, he served in the Peninsular War and the Hundred Days, latterly as military secretary to the Duke of Wellington. He also took part in politics as Tory member of Parliament for Truro, before becoming Master General of the Ordnance. He became commander of the British troops sent to the Crimea in 1854: his primary objective was to defend Constantinople, and he was also ordered to besiege the Russian Port of Sevastopol. After an early success at the Battle of Alma, a failure to deliver orders with sufficient clarity caused the fateful Charge of the light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava. Despite further success at the battle of Inkerman, a poorly coordinated allied assault on Sevastopol in June 1855 was a complete failure. Raglan died later that month, after suffering from dysentery and depression.


For a painting that is over 180 years old, with all the fine beadwork, it is in great condition!

I have never seen another painting of Lord Fitzroy set in such an interesting mount.

This would make a great addition to any period British military collection and can only increase in value.

It measures 2” (5cm) high (without the loop) by 1.3” (3.2cm) wide and is 0.5” (1.6cm) thick.

It weighs 8.2g.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

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The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Code: 50351