Bidspirit auction | PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG LADY

PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG LADY - Probably Kentucky, c. 1853, watercolor on paper. Full-length portrait of a young lady in a blue dress, identified on back as 13-year-old Mary Ann Whitt . 7.25” high, 5.25” wide (sight); 12.5” high, 10.5” (modern oval frame). Inside the frame is a fragment of a 19th-century letter, and it includes a notation “Mary Ann Whit / Buford Wass / 13 years old wen took / Born July 10 1840.” Mary Ann “Polly” Blevins was born in 1840 in Carter County, Kentucky. Her father was Riley Blevins (1817-1899) of Lee County, Virginia. He came west as a young man, settling in Kentucky and marrying Sarah/Sally Barker (1817-1853). Polly married David Crockett Whitt (1838-1905) in 1860. They had at least ten children. She died Christmas Eve 1926 in Carter County. The name “Buford Wass” or “Burford Wass” has yet to be identified. Provenance: an Ohio collection. NOTE: We are happy to answer questions and take additional photos of lots prior to the auction (the sooner submitted the better). Any updates or new photographs will be posted to the catalog on our website. Please check there prior to placing bids to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information. SHIPPING: We offer in-house shipping on all lots in this auction. Please see the terms for more information and contact us for a packing/shipping estimate.