Unknown - portrait of the Misses Ball

This miniature portrait is unsigned. There have been suggestions that the portrait is by one of the Peales, but as yet, no attribution has been made. It is unusually large for a miniature at 210 mm x 150 mm and, partially due to its size, it has suffered some cracking from ivory shrinkage.  

The sitters are noted on the back as the Misses Ball, but so far they have not been identified. 928.

 This is one of over a dozen American portraits in the collection, from around 1830-35, all depicting young ladies wearing a "little black dress", and thus indicating the 19C origin of the proverbial fashion item, of  a "little black dress" usually claimed as being in the 1920's.