This miniature portrait is signed "B van Leer " 98", for Isabella Van Leer (1862->1930), although some sources suggest she adopted the spelling Belle Van Laer.
In the 1870 census, Isabella lived in Pennsylvania with her parents Joseph and Arabella Vanleer and several brothers and sisters. Joseph Vanleer owned livery stables, and stated his real and other assets to be $31,000, hence he was quite wealthy for those days.
Over subsequent census's Isabella is variously recorded as Bell Van Leer, Belle Van Leer, and Beele Van Leer, but never Van Laer. In the 1910 census she gave her occupation as "artist - portrait". In both 1920 and 1930 she was living with her sister May in Warminster, Bucks, Pa.
The sitter in this portrait is unknown. 1125
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