Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat

Provenance

Possibly Pratt, Guildford [if this portrait is the one recorded in the Thorburn or Thurburn collection by George C. Williamson, John Russell, R.A. (London, 1894), pp. 166-67]; Probably Col. Thurburn, Kirkfell, Upper Norwood, Surrey by 1894 [according to Williamson 1894, cited above, who described a portrait in the collection of Col. Thorburn [sic] showing “An old Gentleman in claret and gold coat, and a three-cornered hat, unknown. 30 x 25 [inches]. Oil. 1767”]. Sold Christie’s, London, May 12, 1919, no. 27, bought jointly by Knoedler and Colnaghi and Obach [letter of September 6, 1994 from Melissa De Medeiros, librarian at Knoedler in curatorial file]; sold by them to Sir Samuel Waring, London, October 1920 [letter cited above]. Sold Christie’s, London, December 10, 1971, no. 133 to Hutchinson for 200 gns. [annotated sale catalogue Ryerson Library, Art Institute of Chicago; in this and subsequent sales the date is erroneously given as 1787]. Sold Sotheby’s, London, December 13, 1972, no. 125, to Loren for £180 [annotated sale catalogue Ryerson Library, Art Institute of Chicago]. Sold Philips, London, March 12, 1973, no. 34 to John Estabrook [see John Estabrook’s notes in curatorial file, indicating that he was also an unsuccessful bidder for the picture at the 1971 auction]; John Estabrook, Chicago, from 1973 (died 1984); his widow Dorothy Estabrook (died 1986); bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1987.