Chocolatier with a passion for miniatures

A captivating collection of miniatures and silhouettes is being sold at Chilcotts Auctioneers next Ceramics, Pictures & Works of Art; Good Antiques & 20th Century Design sale.

It was put together over several years by Ron J Mills before his death in 2021. A chocolatier in Bath who supplied Harrods with handmade chocolates, Ron’s other passion was for miniatures. These were painted by specialist miniature artists and, during an era before photography, were mostly the preserve of the wealthy.

Included in the sale are 14 miniatures, plus 9 lots of silhouettes and two other portraits. They date from the 18th and 19th centuries and comprise a mixture of pictures of men and women, with several military subjects.

Amongst them is a picture of a young John Bathurst Deane, the grandfather of writer PG Wodehouse. Another is of Augusta Ludlow Shakespear who was born in India and lived her later life in Newton Abbot; Mills noted her as an ancestor of David Cameron.

A number are in 9ct or 15ct gold, oval frames and some have woven lockets of the subject’s hair within the frame.

Ron Mills was a discerning collector, buying good pieces by notable miniaturist artists including William Thicke (1787-1814), Frederick Buck (1771-1839), and Alfred Edward Chalon (1780-1860). The silhouettes include works by William H Beaumont (1833-1852) and John Field (1772-1848). Ron carefully curated the collection, carrying out research to identify not just the painters but also the sitters. His detailed notes include the provenance of each picture, which will be used in the lot descriptions.

This collection is being sold for the most part as single lots with estimates ranging from £60-80 to £400-600 for the most notable  ones, whilst the silhouettes are to be sold in groups of two or five with estimates of £100-300.

‘The Ron J Mills Collection of Portrait Miniatures and Silhouettes’ will be auctioned at the Dolphin Sale Room in Honiton on March 25. Viewing is available from March 18.