Lot 17: A Gentleman of the Slingsby family, possibly Sir Thomas Slingsby of Scriven, 2nd Baronet (1636-c.1687), wearing suit of armour over white stock and cravat tied with black ribbon, his brown hair falling in waves to his shoulders

A Gentleman of the Slingsby family, possibly Sir Thomas Slingsby of Scriven, 2nd Baronet (1636-c.1687), wearing suit of armour over white stock and cravat tied with black ribbon, his brown hair falling in waves to his shoulders. Watercolour on vellum, silver frame with pierced spiral cresting. Oval, 70mm (2 3/4in) high

Emma Louisa Slingsby of Scriven Park (1829-1899); Bequeathed to her husband, Colonel Thomas Slingsby née Leslie (1826-1903) and thence by descent

The handwritten inscription to the reverse panel of the original turned wood frame identifies the present sitter as, 'Sir Henry Slingsby'. Sir Henry Slingsby of Scriven, 1st Baronet (1602-1658) bears some resemblance to the present sitter but given the approximate date of the work, his sons, Henry (dates unknown) and Thomas (1636-c.1687) are more realistic as candidates. In the absence of any surviving portraits of Henry and Thomas, it has not been possible to confirm either identification but Thomas would seem the more plausible of the two brothers given the offices he held. A vigorous supporter of the Royalist cause, Sir Henry Slingsby, 1st Bt. was implicated in a projected Royalist rising in Yorkshire, for which he was beheaded on Tower Hill in the summer of 1658. He was the last of the Royalists to meet this fate. His son Henry, served Charles I as Gentleman of the Bedchamber while Thomas served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire, MP for Knaresborough and Scarborough and Constable of Scarborough Castle. Upon their father's death in 1658, Thomas inherited the baronetcy and married Dorothy Craddock (d.1673), daughter of George Craddock of Caverswall Castle that same year. The present lot has descended through the couple's great-great-great grand-daughter, Emma Slingsby. Her husband, Colonel Thomas Leslie, legally changed his name to Slingsby by Royal License on 9 April 1869.