Description
Portrait of William Laidlaw, inscribed on verso "Portrait of Wm. Laidlaw Esq., Kae-side, Abbotsford, painted by Morrison, Abbotsford", probably John Morrison, 1782-1853, oil on board, 45 x 35cm., [c. 1830]; Portrait reputedly of William Laidlaw's wife, oil on board, 45 x 34cm., [c. 1830]; William Allaker of Cardfields, Hatfield Peverel, Essex, on horseback, oil on board, 49 x 60cm., 19th century (3)
Footnote
Note: William Laidlaw met Sir Walter Scott in 1801 when the latter visited Laidlaw's farm at Blackhouse in Tweedside to meet James Hogg and Laidlaw himself. Their friendship flourished and in 1817 Laidlaw accepted Scott's offer to become his steward, moving to Kaeside, a cottage on the Abbotsford estate. When Scott's financial difficulties arose, Laidlaw returned to his native district but returned to Abbotsford in 1830. Scott sorely missed Laidlaw's company describing his absence as "a most melancholy blank", and from 1830 to 1832 Laidlaw was chiefly employed as Scott's amuensis. During his last illness Laidlaw was in constant attendance, and after his death was presented by Walter and June Scott with the brooch they had given Sir Walter upon their own wedding day (see lot 79) . This Laidlaw wore until his own death in 1845.
The artist is almost certainly John Morrison (1782-1853), land-surveyor, poet, and portrait artist who prepared a plan of the Abbotsford estate for Sir Walter Scott. There's a page on him (with a reproduction of a self-portrait) here:
http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/biography/morrison/career.html