Augustus G. Heaton portrait has seen better days
May 2025
Michelle Knows Antiques
Augustus G. Heaton portrait has seen better days
by Michelle Staley
Q: I have this painting by Augustus G. Heaton of Sophie Brice dated 1871. The painting measures 23.5” high x 19.5” wide; the frame is 31.5” high x 27.5” wide. There is a metal tag below the picture with the artist’s name, Sophie Brice, and 1871. I bought it at an auction and no one else was bidding on it. Any information you can give me will be gratefully appreciated.
A: Augustus Goodyear Heaton (April 28, 1844-Oct. 11, 1930) was an American artist, author, and leading numismatist. He is best known for his painting “The Recall of Columbus” and among coin collectors for writing “A Treatise on Coinage of the United States Branch Mints,” which introduced numismatists to mint marks.
Heaton worked as a teacher in Philadelphia at the Art Students’ League of Philadelphia and was one of the founding members of the New Rochelle Art Association, organized in 1912, and part of the well-known art colony that had developed in New Rochelle in the early 1900s.
Most of Heaton’s paintings are portraits. His most fam-ous painting, and the one of which he was most proud, was “The Recall of Columbus,” painted in 1882 and copyrighted in 1891 as the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ landing approached. It was begun in his Paris studio and finished in Rome in the studio of American sculptor Chauncey Ives. The painting was sent to the U.S. Capitol in 1884 to be reviewed by the Joint Committee on the Library, purchased later that year for $3,000, and remains part of the United States Senate Art and History Collection. In 1892, the painting was exhibited at the Colombian Historical Exposition in Madrid in 1892 and again in 1893 at the World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago. Also in 1893, to mark the Chicago Exposition, was the release of the Colombian Issue, a set of 16 commemorative stamps issued by the United States. The 50-cent stamp featured “The Recall of Columbus,” bringing the painting to the attention of the general public.
Heaton painted a large number of portraits during his travels. Those travels included New York City in the late 1870s; Paris, France, in the early 1880s; Philadelphia (1884); Washington, D.C. (1885); and then West Palm Beach, FL. In 1890, 1892, and 1930, he was in New Orleans, where he gave art lectures and painted portraits of numerous prominent citizens.
Close-up of the damaged canvas.
Portrait of Sophie Brice in frame, painted by Augustus G. Heaton, dated 1871. (Images courtesy of question submitter)
I tried to locate a Brice family with a Sophie relation in or around one of these locations and was not successful.
At auction, Heaton’s portraits of children sell for around $300. Sadly, your portrait has a great deal of damage with the flaking and missing paint as well as the damage on the edges of the canvas. To get it restored would probably cost thousands of dollars. She is more than 150 years old and there is no telling where she has been for all of those years.
If you are absolutely in love with the portrait, you can attempt to fill in the missing paint areas or put spray varnish on to keep more paint from flaking and falling off. If you hang the portrait on a wall, make sure that no sunlight can get to it. She is adorable, and I would touch up the paint, which will take some time. Then place her back into the original frame and display the portrait. In its current condition, the resale value is whatever someone will give you for it, around $20. A student in art restoration might be very interested in little Sophie.
The frame is beautiful, but once again, some of the edge decoration is missing. The frame is more than likely original to the portrait. In the current condition, the frame would sell for around $30-$40. You can replace the missing decorative edge by casting a mold from the opposite side, filling the mold with plaster, gluing it in place, and then applying gold leaf, placing it on the new side you just molded. There are a number of YouTube videos on how to do the above. I have repaired a large number of decorative frames, and it’s not a difficult process.
On another note, there is a buyer for everything. You can place the framed portrait up for sale on the popular auction website and hope that you get two people who love her as she and her frame are. It is difficult to say what they will sell for, but I would not be surprised if the price went to $100 if not a bit more. Just be honest about the condition of the edges since they can be covered by the frame.
*All prices given are for sale in a private sale, antique shop, or other resale outlets. Price is also dependent upon the geographic area in which you are selling. Auction value, selling to a dealer or pawn shop prices are about ½ or less of resale value.
Michelle Staley is a Lenexa, KS-based dealer and researcher with 35 years of experience in the antique trade.
Send questions with photos to Michelle at michelle@discovervintage.com or TXSmichelle@gmail.com. Please keep queries to one question; questions without photos of the item may not be answered. There is no guarantee that your question will be answered or published.
Michelle is also available for consulting and extensive research work beyond this column. If you would like an appraisal on an antique or collectible please go to www.michellesantiqueappraisals.com for a one-on-one appraisal. Please note new web address.
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