formed as an Imperial double-headed eagle and crown, set with turquoise and garnets, above a silver-gilt cliché of Queen Anne, the frame containing the miniature of a lady, circle of Nathaniel Hone, with pearls at neck and ears,  inscribed: AE 24/17[?19], in 19th century glazed case

Miniature (in oil) somewhat faded; silver would benefit from professional cleaning. Some turquoise stones discoloured.
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This interesting frame poses a number of questions. The type of ornament, the jewels and the Imperial eagle and crown would at once suggest an Austro-Hungarian origin for the piece. On the other hand, the cliché is definitely a portrait of Queen Anne (queen of Great Britain 1702-14), possibly from John Obrisset's model (see lot 229) and the miniature is also English.

It has been suggested that there is a connection with the Churchill family since John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, was created a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1705 and was given the right to include the Imperial eagle and Princely crown in his coat-of-arms. The Duke's second daughter, Anne, was the namesake and goddaughter of the queen. She ꦕwas born in 1683 and later married Lord Charles Spencer, son and heir of Robert, Earl of Sunderland, dying in 1716. She would therefore have been aged 24 in 1707.

It is unfortunate that the last two numbers of the date on the portrait miniature are unclear but they would appear to read 19 rather than 07. The portrai🌜t in itself is so stylised and known portraits of Lady Anne are so varied that it is impossible to make an exact identification. It is also possible that the frame was originally made for a miniature of Lady Anne but was then replaced by a miniature of similar date.