The traditional folk song "Widecombe Fair" finishes with the words "Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all". Cobley was a prominent farmer in Devon and this mid 18th century portrait of him, as well of one of his mother Mary Heard, turned up in a small sale in the county in 2004. The paintings, in dirty but totally untouched condition, were discovered in a farmhouse near Speyton owned by a descendant of Cobley. He is shown as an attractive and elaborately dressed young boy and is holding a small bird, possibly a linnet. The portrait is in lovely untouched condition with its original lining. It measures 32 inches x 37 inches across the giltwood frame. The sale was featured in the Antiques Trade Gazette and a copy of the article is shown here. The portraits have just been acquired from the successful Kent based buyers in 2004.
Ref: 10059
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