Victorian 15ct Gold & Enamel Tie Pin of a King Charles Spaniel Signed Essex

A tie pin of a beautifully painted miniature of a King Charles Spaniel in enamel by William Essex. (English, 1784-1869) Essex was a miniature portrait painter  known for crisp and detailed work in enamel, particularly portraits and paintings of animals. As a student he worked for Charles Muss who was the enamel painter to William IV.   Early in his career, he painted numerous miniature reproductions of larger works by early masters (mostly landscapes, animals and genre subjects). Later, he began painting miniature portraits of live sitters. He  exhibited in London at the Royal Academy of Art from 1818 to 1862.  He was appointed miniaturist to Queen Victoria in 1839 and to Prince Albert in 1841. He also served as enamel painter to Princess Augusta of Cambridge. Amongst his pupils were acclaimed miniaturists W. B. Ford and J. W. Bailey. Works by Essex are in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Ashmolean Museum (Oxford), National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin),  and the Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, Ohio).

Queen Victoria’s favourite dog was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

This little masterpiece of an enamelled head of a King Charles Spaniel is Signed W Essex 18? on the reverse and has a 15ct gold frame.

All our tie pins come with a stopper at the end.