Impressionist oil on canvas painting of ships in a harbor, titled on stretcher "San Francisco Bay in 1840", signed at lower right "M. McDOWD" (MARGARET EPENETER McDOWD 1894-1990). The work, 24" by 30", unframed, is masterfully painted. with excellent handling of light and color, all somewhat intentionally hazy and muted...

Oil on canvas painting of a fetching young woman, 30" by 24", unframed, signed at upper right corner "George E. Harris" and dated there 1929. The artist is American painter GEORGE EDGERLY HARRIS (1898-1938). Harris was born in Delaware and appears to have most of his auto accident-shortened life in the northeastern states. He was the son of Charles X. Harris of the Noank, Connecticut art colony, and a pupil of his father and of Charles Courtney Curran...

A rare prize for the specialist collector of Ohio art, this is an oil on canvas laid on board, the subject an impressionistic sketch of a patch of woodland in greens and browns, 8 5/8" by 11 1/2" plus narrow simple framing, signed in red at lower right "W. M. Darling". Darling is known today as the "Dean of Toledo Artists", a title earned after a lifetime of distinction in painting...

Oil on canvas painting of a stand of trees by a small pond or lake in early autumn, 20" by 24" (25" by 29" as framed), signed at lower left by the listed California artist RICHARD VERNON JOHNSON (1905-2001, death date sometimes given as 2007). Johnson was born in Montana and moved with his family to Long Beach, California by 1920. He studied at Chouinard Art Institute and the University of Montana. Johnson taught at various institutions in Orange County...

Oil on canvas painting of grouse in the snow among pines, 16" by 20", signed at lower right "Berta C. Richards 50", and titled in ink on the reverse "Spring Around the Corner/in Colo Foot Hills/Berta C. Richards/1950". I do not see a listing for the artist but this vintage oil is competently executed by a talented hand. The condition is excellent, since this has been protected actually behind glass, in the veneer-type frame often seen on Currier and Ives prints...

Oil on canvas impressionistic painting of an idealized street with old houses, trees and a few strolling figures, 24" by 36" (unframed), signed at lower left "F. H. McKay" and further identified in old penciled handwriting on the stretcher "Village on the Cove--Vermont" (and original $95.00 price is also written in two places). The artist is FRANCES H. McKAY (circa 1880-possibly 1969---biographical information is scarce online)...

Oil on canvas painting, signed at lower left "Charles T. Harris", late 20th century, the subject a red rock dramatic cliff of the Southwest, framed artistically by a large overhanging branch arching in from the right side. The work is very clean and ready to hang. This came from a local estate. The artist is talented but from what I can tell not listed. Size is 20" by 30" plus 2 1/2" wide on a side wood frame.

Oil on board painting of four wild horses in a corral under an immense western American sky, 17 1/2" by 21 1/2" framed, signed at lower right by American artist GRACE LORING BASSETT. There is some mention of the artist on the internet, most specifically as an illustrator in 1915 of a "Black Beauty" type book called "Don: His Recollections", a work about a horse, intended for children...

Large oil on canvas, 30" by 40" (34" by 44" framed), unsigned, in its vintage original frame, the subject a desert track through sandy scrub, distant purplish mountains filling the background. Though unsigned, the heavily impastoed, impressionistic style and the scene and colors used are unquestionably the work of JAMES MERRIAM (1880-1951). Merriam was born in Canada and was studying in Detroit, before arriving in Southern California...

Large acrylic on canvas contemporary painting, 56" by 48", unframed, titled on reverse "St. Sebastian", also dated 3/81 and signed there, by the well listed, widely-exhibited American artist, RUSS WARREN (1951-). The painting is striking, the figure shot full with arrows in a strange and surreal, magical landscape, mystery and symbolism and allegory surrounding the scene...

This is an unsigned oil on paper laid on board work, quite possibly an oil study for a more finished painting, circa 1870's, by the 19th century American painter JUNIUS SLOAN (1827-1900), the subject trees silhouetted against an extensive landscape, two ladies in period dress at center left, several houses in the middle distance, and two tiny cows grazing at right. The painting, 6" by 12", 9" by 15" in 20th century framing, is titled on the reverse of the board in old penciled hand, difficult t...

Oil on thin canvas painting of a classic American Indian with chief's feather headdress, executed in a charmingly naive style by an amateur artist around the year 1960 I would guess. The work measures 17" by 14" in its oak simple sturdy frame. When purchased it was behind broken glass, so has survived in excellent, clean condition. There might be a signature "Viv" at lower right corner. A colorful painting for the Route 66 fan, that would make for an interesting addition to a boy's room or p...

This is a pleasant unsigned oil on canvasboard landscape, 16" by 20" (20" by 24" simply framed), the subject a lake surrounded by low hills, a church at right and a few strolling figures at left. The work might be by an amateur or a listed artist but due to the lack of a signature the truth will never be known. There is a little even soiling consistent with an age of at least 40 years, and a small hairline abrasion at center which is not obtrusive. A gold frame would likely increase the impac...

For the collector of early, 19th century California art, here is an east coast-style still life work, 10" by 14 1/2", unframed, signed at lower right "Bertie L Emery" and dated there 1892. The shallow dish holds oranges, grapes, a banana, and possibly slices of cake or bread, the dish resting on a white cloth, on an unseen tabletop. Interestingly for art history, Emery signs her first name as "Bertie". The artist, BERTHA LUCE EMERY (1873-1957) is today closely associated with watercolors of M...

Works by ALBERT HORATIO SLADE (1843-1922) are quite rare in the marketplace. The few that have come to auction feature coastal scenes of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura Counties. Prices of $8,000 and even $12,000 have been achieved on several larger works that are site-specific. Some are of great historical interest, as they document early buildings and communities. Slade was born in England and had a photography studio in Toronto, Canada by 1879. He was in San Diego by 1887. He was kno...

Oil on canvas painting, 20" by 28" (24" by 32" framed), the subject a great clipper ship of the 19th century silhouetted against the setting sun (or dawn) on a calm sea. The painting is signed at lower left by the artist, William P. Lawrence and is dated below that either 1938 or 1928; difficult to discern. I don't see that he is a listed artist but obviously he was talented. The scene has a fine luminosity and clearly shows the painter's understanding of light and backlighting. CONDITION: ...

This is a very nicely executed decorative impressionistic painting of a pond in spring within a groomed park-like setting, complete with mini-island with pagoda type rock formation, all surrounded by flowering springtime trees. There might even be orange koi fish in the pond. The painting, most likely American in origin, is oil on canvas laid on board. It is signed at lower right but I cannot seem to make it out. Size is 12" by 16", unframed. This being a "standard" size, you should be able...

An oil on canvas painting of garden flowers in a glass vase in an interior near a window, not signed on the front but on reverse stretcher is written in pencil "Rena Patterson" and a phone number with Southern California area code. This is a work of contemporary artist RENA PATTERSON, presently of Malibu, CA but previously a resident of many states from coast to coast. The artist has her own website, showing a number of her works, which include seascape, landscape, still life, and genre subjec...