
THE ARMS OF BROWNE
SKU: 225K (2)
£250
Heraldic report: These armorial bearings sans coronet were those borne by the family of Browne, Viscounts Montagu from 1554 to 1797. This viscountcy was created within the Peerage of England on the 2nd September 1554 for Sir Anthony Browne, KB (born 29th November 1528 died 19th October 1592) and fell into extinction for the want of a male heir upon the death of Mark Anthony Browne (baptised 10th March 1744/5 died 13th November 1797), the 9th Viscount Montagu. At the time of his death, Lord Montagu was a friar living in Fontainbleau in France. He was buried at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and St Denys, Midhurst in the County of Sussex on the 7th December 1797. We guess that this depiction of the arms of Browne were painted much later than the death of the 9th and last Viscount Montagu at some time in the last decade of the 19th Century. It would appear that this painting was commissioned by a member of a Browne/Brown family by an American member of the family as inferred by the inscription found upon the back of the painting. I believe it to be therefore a purely decorative piece. Written to the reverse: ‘Copied from the original in the possession of (……?) W. Brown by (……?) M. Brown Dec 20/96 to be presented to Hamilton B. Brown’ . We take it that the abbreviated date refers to December 20th 1896. Note the American dating which is also confirmed the affixed label most probably of the original framer from Buffalo, in the State of New York. Buffalo, New York, probably December 20th 1896.


