A 19th century blue and white enamelled locket for the Fairfax family

A 19th century blue and white enamelled locket for the Fairfax family, the front with a lion passant guardant above Fare Fac on an engine turned blue enamel ground within a white decorative border, the reverse with the initials FV in white enamel on a blue engine turned enamel ground, the locket opening to reveal a portrait miniature of Thomas Fairfax (1612-1671), the other side with a finely engraved oval panel with coat of arms and inscribed Tho: Fairfax Knt for King & Parl:, 5.5cm long, 35.8g grossThomas Fairfax (1612-1672), third Baron Fairfax of Cameron. Fairfax was the Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentary forces during the Civil War, a driving force in the development of the New Model Army, and victor at the Battle of Naseby in 1645 and the decisive battle at Langport against the Royalist Army. Although a Parliamentarian, Fairfax was against the proposed execution of Charles I, and fought against it until the end, and was purported to be shocked when meeting Bishop Juxon and Thomas Herbert whilst they were escorting the king's corpse back through the long gallery of Banqueting House, Whitehall. In later life Fairfax played an essential part in the restoration of Charles II to the English throne.The engraved panel is the coat of arms Fairfax would have had between 1641 and 1648, as Thomas was knighted in 1641, and inherited the title Lord Fairfax from his father in 1648. Any coat of arms created after 1648 would have acknowledged his superior position as Lord Fairfax. The portrait miniature inside the locket is after the portrait miniature of Fairfax by John Hoskins (1595-1664) dated 1650, which is in the collection at Leeds Castle.Condition Report: The locket has some losses to the enamel at the suspensory loop in particular, the rest of the enamel has some light scratches and scuffs, some discolouration to the interior gold, no major damage to the miniature, the panel is well engraved, the hinge in good working orderCondition Report Disclaimer