Admiral George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith GCB FRS Enamel Portrait Plaque, Framed & Glazed. Late 18th/Early 19th Century. Transfer Printed and Hand Coloured.
Admiral George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith (1746 - 1823) was a Royal Navy officer and politician, who served during the American Revolutionary, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. In 1761 he joined the 100 gun Royal Sovereign, beofre transferring to HMS Gosport, under Captain John Jervis.
During the American Revolutionary War he served during the occupation of Charleston, South Carolina. In 1781, when in command of HMS Warwick, he captured a 50 gun Dutch ship. In 1782, at Delaware Bay, he led a Squadron that captured the French frigate Aigle. In 1793 he took part in Admiral Hood's occupation of Toulon onboard HMS Robust. He distinguished himself by beating the French ashore at the head of a naval brigade of British and Spanish. In 1794 he was promoted Rear-Admiral and in 1795 he was sent to occupy the Dutch Cape Colony. He had a large share in the capture of the Cape in 1795, and in August 1796 captured a whole Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay.
Admiral Keith took part in the British campaigns that drove Napoleon's French forces out of Egypt and was an often disapproving commander-in-chief over Nelson in the Mediterranean at the time of the latter's Neapolitan involvements, after the Battle of the Nile. He was promoted to Admiral in 1801 and in 1803 took command in the North Sea.
He received Napoleon's final surrender and supervised the deposed French Emperor's removal to his last exile on St. Helena in 1815. He was elevated to Viscount in 1814.
Approximate weight is 55 grams.
Approximate frame dimensions are 9.6 cm height, 8 cm width and 2 cm depth.
Approximate plaque dimensions are 4.5 cm height and 3.3 cm width.
The ebonised frame and glass are both in very good condiiton with no damage or losses. The inner, beaded, border with splits. One large diagonal crack across the portrait plaque. Further small area of cracking above the letter K, continuing in a loop into the right hand area of hair. The inner beaded border possibly original to the plaque, while the glazed and ebonised frame is possibly later.
