Sir Henry Raeburn R.A., P.R.S.A.

With Thos. Agnew & Sons, London (from an old label on the reverse);
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (1859-1925), Viceroy of India;
Thence by descent to Richard Curzon, Viscount Scarsdale of Kedleston;
By whom sold ("The Scarsdale Heirlooms"), London, Christie's, 18 July 1930, lot 106, to Lewiston;
With Newhouse Galleries, New York, by 1932;
R.L. Skofield, Greenwich, CT;
By whom sold, New York, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., 1 February 1940, lot 68;
There acquired by the grandfather of the present owner.

New York, Newhouse Galleries, Van Dyck to Lawrence, The Development of English Portrait-painting, 23 January - 13 February 1932, no. 21 (as painted in 1811).

The Fine Arts, February 1932, reproduced.

canvas has an old relining. This picture is quite dirty and covered in an old discolored milky varnish. This dirty varnish is confirmed under UV light which similarly looks quite hazy. No restorations or retouches are visible when viewed with UV light, though it is conceivable that much older restorations underneath the varnish are present. A small area along the sitters nose and brow give an indication of a brighter palette underneath the varnish. The picture could respond well to a light cleaning and a new varnish. In a carved giltwood frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In the catalogue of the 1932 Newhouse Galleries exhibition (see Exhibited), the sitter was identified as possibly the aunt of Master William Blair whose portrait, also by Raeburn, is in the Huntington Art Museum and Library, San Marino, CA.  The Portrait of Mrs. Blair was sold with a certificate from W. Roberts and James Greig in the 1940 auction at Parke-Bernet (see Provenance).