Painting. [Thomas Silver (1813-1888), marine engineer] / 185-. Oil on canvas; 67 x 52 cm in gilt frame with oval mount, 92x75x5cm. Inscribed on frame mount: 'T. SILVER / INVENTOR of the MARINE GOVERNOR'. Portrait, HS to L, feigned oval.

This portrait formed part of the Bennet Woodcroft Bequest, which was among the founding collections of the Science Museum. Woodcroft had developed a 'National Gallery of Portraits of Inventors, Discoverers and Introducers of the Useful Arts’ combining gifts, loans and purchases of portraits, while acting as the first curator of the Patent Museum.