Captain White of the Corps of Philadelphia Cadets,
  by Christian Greiner, circa 1845. 

By tradition, the sitter is identified as Captain White, who led a local military group in defense of the Irish neighborhood of Kensington during the anti-Catholic riots in Philadelphia in 1844.  With  massive immigration of the Irish, by the early 1840's, they made up nearly half of the foreign born of Philadelphia.  Already the focus of much hostility, when the Irish Catholics objected to the use of the Protestant version of the Bible in public schools, and began using the Douay Bible, mobs attached the Catholic churches in Irish neighborhoods, particularly Kensington.  St. Augustine, then the largest church in Philadelphia, was burnt to the ground.  During the course of the rioting, which lasted three months, hundreds were wounded and fifteen killed.
 
Set in the original gold, engine-turned pendant frame with the following inscription on the reverse: "Presented to the Corps of Philadelphia Cadets by the Citizens of Kensington, April 28th, 1845."  The case bears two Philadelphia trade cards, one of a dentist at 301 Arch Street and the other of a jeweler, "J. J. Barras/ No. 20 Franklin Place/ between Market and Chestnut/ and  3d and 4th sts. Philad./Repairing done in the best/manner."
 
2 ½ inches high.
 
Christian (or Christopher) Greiner (?-1864) worked as a miniaturist and enamel painter  in Philadelphia and Reading between 1837 and 1864.  His sprightly,  unusual portraits are scarce.