The Jerold D. Krouse Collection: Masterpieces from America & Ireland | November 11, 2025
Tue, Nov 11, 2025 10:00AM EST
Live Auction
Lot 64
Arthur Devis
Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000
Sold for
$2,800
Sold Price excludes BP
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
(British, 1711-1787)
Portrait of Thomas Starkie, of Frenchwood House, Preston, England, full-length, sitting by a tree, holding a book, circa 1749, unsigned, various labels verso, oil on canvas, 25-1/2 x 18-7/8 in.; an appropriate Louis XV style carved and gilt wood frame, 32-1/8 x 25-3/8 x 2-3/8 in.
Provenance: Lady Mountain, Dunkeld House; With Pawsey & Payne, London, 1924 (as depicting Albury Church, near Guildford); Sotheby's, United Kingdom, Town & Country: A Private Collection, December 3-14, 2021, lot 60; The Jerold Krouse Collection
Note: This painting is the second version of the portrait painted in 1749 and now held by the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston.
Thomas Starkie, a Preston solicitor and son of Nicholas Starkie, Attorney General of the County Palatine, was an active Town Council member alongside his brother Edmund. Both were noted for their Jacobite sympathies. Elected mayor of Preston in 1754, Starkie is shown here at Frenchwood House, built around 1730. Behind him stretch views of the Ribble Valley, Saint Leonard’s Church at Walton-le-Dale, and Hoghton Tower on the distant hill.
Reference: S. Sartin, Polite Society by Arthur Devis, 1712–1787: Portraits of the English Country Gentleman and His Family, Preston 1983, p. 50, no. 21, reproduced in catalog.
Available payment options
Purchased items will be available for pick up or shipping from our Asheville, North Carolina auction facility within ten business days of the auction, or will be assessed a storage fee of $5.00 per day, per item. Purchaser agrees that packing and shipping is done at the purchaser's risk and that the purchaser will pay in advance all packing expenses, materials, carrier fees and insurance charges. At our discretion, items will either be packed by an agent such as a packaging store or Brunk Auctions. Please allow two weeks for shipping after payment is received. Shipment of large items is the responsibility of the purchaser. We are happy to provide names of carriers and shippers if a purchaser so requests. Brunk Auctions will have no liability for any loss or damage to shipped items.
Lady Mountain, Dunkeld House; With Pawsey & Payne, London, 1924 (as depicting Albury Church, near Guildford); Sotheby's, United Kingdom, Town & Country: A Private Collection, December 3-14, 2021, lot 60; The Jerold Krouse Collection
lined with linen, restretched on older stretcher, areas of retouch scattered throughout with larger areas in the background right, craquelure, some crackle; frame with losses Note - Brunk Auctions makes every effort to offer accurate and thorough information, but encourages prospective bidders to inspect items in person whenever possible. Condition statements are provided as a courtesy for general guidance and should not be considered complete or definitive. They do not represent a warranty or assumption of liability by Brunk Auctions. Certain condition issues may not be specifically noted in the report but may be visible in the accompanying photographs, which are considered part of the overall condition report. Please refer to our Terms of Sale for complete information and contact us for additional photos or information as needed.
