Hand Painted Amorial of the Hadwen Family by James Robertson c.1770

This beautiful painting of the Coat of Arms for the Hadwen Family has been wonderfully framed with on the reverse what has to be the advertisement of the gentleman who painted it, James Robertson and a segment of the hand-written history of the Hadwen Family which accompanied it at the time of purchase. The painting of the Amorial is quite large measuring approx 43cm in height by 28cm in width, painted on paper with watercolour. Although the colours I think must have faded somewhat with time, the colours of the actual coat of arms and the eagle still have much vibrancy to them. The flora and swags are much more gentle and there is something I find so beautiful about them reminding me of a beautiful old chintz. The writing states it is 'The Amorial Ensign of the Name of Hadwen' and their motto appears to be the word 'Suffer'. The hand written script on the reverse is quite hard to read, but the majority of it can be made out with a little patience and a good light. The advertisement I found both completely charming and fascinating stating that 'Stone, Steel and all Manner of Seals Engraved likewise Coat of Arms beautifully painted from 2s 8dh to 1l. 2s. 9d. each byJames Robertson, at his Shop Fleet Alley, the foot-passage from the New Bridge to Fleet Street'. Fleet Alley seems now to be lost to time but I did find a reference to it in an extract from Samual Pepys diaries 1660-1669 but no others .The reference to the New Bridge I think is Black Friars Bridge with its closeness to Fleet Street which was opened in 1769 and I have to say this date also feels right with the style o the font used in the advertisement with the use of long 'S' as opposed to the short 's' we are used to seeing today. The double sided frame they sit in is made from wood and painted with a gold coloured paint and I would imagine would date to possibly the beginning of this century.