Lot 1115: Miniature Portrait of Huntsville Judge Tancred Betts, 1919

Miniature watercolor portrait of Alabama Judge Tancred Betts (1861-1921) in a 14K gold frame. Betts is depicted at about age 58, bust length, with moustache and beard, wearing a gray suit, his shoulders turned slightly. He appears before a plain, olive-colored background. The oval portrait is housed in a frame that XRF tests 14K, and that frame is mounted to a velvet mat in an oval giltwood frame. A note en verso of the wood frame states that the gold frame is engraved “Tancred Betts to my wife Maud M. Betts April 2, 1919.” (We have not removed the gold frame from its mounting to confirm this). Sight (portrait only): 2 in. H x 1 1/2 in. W. Giltwood frame: 6 in. H x 5 in. W. Note: Tancred Betts was born to Judge Edward Chambers Betts and his wife Virginia Swoope Betts in Huntsville. He graduated senior captain, Alabama corps of cadets, University of Alabama, M. A., 1881, studied law at the University of Alabama and was admitted to the bar at Huntsville, 1886. He was appointed solicitor of Madison County by Gov. Joseph E. Johnston, November 21, 1898 and was a circuit court judge. He married Maude Minor Broun, daughter of Dr. William Leroy and Sallie Broun, in 1888 at Auburn. Judge Betts died in 1921 with the cause of death listed as tuberculosis/Bright’s disease. His son, Ed, served during World War II as judge advocate general of the Atlantic Theater under Eisenhower.

PROVENANCE: Living Estate of Sally Johnson Harlan. Other items from this historic Alabama family are also included in this auction.

CONDITION: About a dozen fleabite sized flakes to background extending down the left side of the image. The remainder of the image is in excellent condition. Lot includes supplemental material binder of the Broun Family Tree spanning 1740 – 1964, not pictured. 11 1/2 in. H x 10 in W.