Preservation Long Island has announced the acquisition of a signed and dated oil portrait of Ephraim Niles Byram (1809-1881), a prominent figure in the history of Sag Harbor and greater Long Island. Painted in 1834 by Orlando Hand Bears (1811-1851), a well-known Sag Harbor artist, the portrait was acquired at Christie’s Auction of Important Americana on Jan. 24.
Born in Sag Harbor, Byram became a celebrated clockmaker and astronomer. Known for his precision and accuracy, he contributed to the village by building tower clocks, operating a brass foundry, and making architectural elements for residences.
The same year he sat for the portrait, he created the celestial globe seen beside him. A representation of the night sky as seen from earth, it was used by Byram for his celestial observations. The globe remained in his possession his entire life and was eventually donated to what is now the Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum.
As Sag Harbor’s whaling trade throve during the first half of the 19th century, prosperous citizens, including ship captains, merchants, and their families, sought luxury goods, including portraits. It is possible that Bears was taught by Hubbard Latham Fordham (1794-1872), another Sag Harbor painter and a distant cousin.
Byram’s proximity to Sag Harbor’s international port allowed him to work in another field of interest: nautical instruments and navigational devices, and solving their malfunctions. He repaired compasses, chronometers, and telescopes, many of which belonged to ships docked at the port. Alongside these pursuits, Byram also maintained a successful bookbinding workshop.
In his clockmaking business, not only did he build tower clocks for Sag Harbor churches, including the Methodist Church and the Old Whalers Church, but notable commissions farther afield included New York City Hall, the Philadelphia State House, and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
In the early 1830s, he constructed his Universal Planetarium and was praised in The Journal of the American Institute of Architects’ October 1837 publication for his advanced construction.
“Byram’s portrait is a fantastic example of Long Island’s artistic heritage and is a particularly wonderful canvas by a well-known local artist,” said Preservation Long Island, which acknowledged the generosity of many friends and donors. “Preservation Long Island is thrilled to add this important piece of Long Island history to our collection, and we look forward to sharing its many stories in the years to come.”
The painting offers significant interpretive and educational opportunities at Preservation Long Island’s Custom House in Sag Harbor and the exhibition gallery at its headquarters in Cold Spring Harbor. The artwork will be featured in its 2026 exhibition highlighting Long Island’s woodworking craftspeople.
