A fine John Singleton Copley (Massachusetts/United Kingdom, 1738-1815) oil on canvas portrait, ca. 1756-58, depicting a young Priscilla Greenleaf of Boston, portrayed with flowers in her hair and holding a small dog, achieved $500,000 at Pook & Pook on Jan. 10. It took 44 bids to get there, including four phone lines, until a private collector prevailed. Measuring 26 7/8-by-22 7/8 inches (in period frame), Copley painted the three children of Dr. John and Priscilla Brown Greenleaf several years after they died. Each portrait was based on earlier works painted by Joseph Badger of the two daughters. Together with the portrait of their brother, the group ranks among the most noteworthy of Copleys early work. The portrait of Priscillas mother, Priscilla Brown Greenleaf, by John Greenwood, is in the Bayou Bend collection; the portraits of Priscillas siblings, John and Elizabeth Greenleaf, by John Singleton Copley, are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The portrait was exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1972-74. It descended in the Appleton-Greenleaf family, and further ownership history includes Mrs. E. M. LeBaron, Modesto, Calif., until 1979; Hirschl & Adler Galleries, 1979-80; Richard Manoogian, Detroit, Mich., 1980-82; Hirschl & Adler Galleries, 1982-89; Mr. Nusrala, St. Louis, Mo., 1989-1997; Private Collection, The Herdeg Estate, 1997-present. The Joseph Badger portrait of Priscilla, upon which this work is based sold one lot earlier in the auction for $20,000. The Pook & Pook two-day sale grossed $3,167,286 (including buyers premium) and had 1,907 registered bidders through Bidsquare, PookLive, phone, absentee, and live in salesroom. To learn more, visit www.pookandpook.com.