This is a very attractive impressionist work, 18" by 23 3/4" (24" by 29" as framed), unsigned, the subject a line of trees, fading sunlight filtering through them, all in a green and brown palette that seems very Arts and Crafts in feeling. I think the work was likely executed in the 1940's or thereabouts. The stretcher is new, and I am trying to decide if the painting has been lined on a newer canvas...

Oil on masonite still life painting, 24" by 18" (33" by 26" framed), signed at lower left by California artist CLARETTA ELLIS WHITE (c. 1915-2002). This is a briskly painted work by an artist who was quite active in the Southern California art scene at mid century. An unusually detailed and complete website, evidently created by relatives, gives a complete history of her active life. The artist was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma into a cultured family...

Oil on board, (ONE OF TWO BY THE ARTIST IN MY SHOP), 4" by 7 1/2" inside the mat (7 1/2" by 11 1/4" as framed) signed at lower left in green "Six" and dated there "32", the subject the iconic saguaro cactus of the southwestern American desert at sunset. Because that species of cactus grows naturally only in Arizona, we can assume that this is indeed an Arizona scene...

Oil on canvasboard, 14" by 10" (19 1/4" by 15 1/4" as framed), signed at lower right in red "K. L. Weatherly" and dated there 1940. One of two works by this same artist I acquired at the same time, (the other one also in my shop), this is an impressionistic view of a southern American regional landscape, a swamp or lake with bald cypress and Spanish moss hanging from the trees. Such a scene would normally be encountered in a place like the Louisiana bayous...

Oil on canvas, 13 1/2" by 9 5/8" in its thin old frame, signed at lower center "Ellen B. Farr", the subject her typical signature pepper tree leaves and the distinctive red "berry" seed pods. Farr (1840-1907) is quite appreciated today for her California paintings of pepper trees, still life works of poppies, citrus, native indian baskets, and landscapes...

This is an original painting in gouache on paper, 23 3/4" by 23 3/4" square, in a narrow metal frame, apparently by an unlisted artist named Gertmenian. This is an Armenian name, and the painting was found in Los Angeles, where there is a large Armenian population. If you're seeking an eye-dazzler of a painting that contains strong primary colors, consider this decorative art...

A beautiful circa 1920 impressionist painting of tall pines or cedars in a sun-dappled forest landscape which includes two groups of small figures at center left. The unframed work measures 30" by 24" and is apparently unsigned. Judging from the canvas and stretcher, this is likely the work of a listed American artist. It has been suggested that it was cut down at some point, as the painting extends over the tacking edge...

Oil on canvas titled on stretcher "Golden Silence", 28" by 21" (33" by 25" in original vintage frame), signed at lower right and again on the stretcher by California plein air artist EUGENE PIERRE FRANQUINET (1875-1940). This is a fine example of the work of this Belgian-born painter who immigrated to the United States in 1907, and who was in Southern California as early as 1911...

Oil on canvas colorful and skillfully painted abstract landscape of the glorious Southwest, 27 1/2" by 36" as framed, signed at lower right "Helen Peeke", and bearing the title "Indian Country" and the original price "150.00" on the stretcher. I have not been able to locate information on the artist but obviously she was a skilled painter who was able to capture the feeling of the Southwest in abstracted form. Condition is excellent and this is wall-ready.

Oil on canvas painting, 24" by 36" (30" by 42" framed), late 20th century, the subject a family of elephants at an African waterhole, signed at lower right by listed artist DON ERDMAN (sometimes spelled as ERDMANN). The work is similar to works by better known artists such as David Shepherd or Bob Kuhn which bring thousands of dollars. Erdman is listed in Davenport's, but I am hard pressed to find more information on him...

Found in Maine, is this oil on canvas painting, 24" by 20 1/2" in its silver metal frame, signed at extreme lower right "Judith Nelson Harper" and titled on the reverse "Red, White and Blue". It is a striking work, though I see minimal information on the artist---I believe just one minor bit of information shows up on a net search. Regardless, this will please anyone looking to brighten up a modern interior with original art from the 1970's...

Oil on masonite panel, 13 " by 22 " (16" by 25" in black frame with gold inner), the subject a female mallard duck among brown grasses suggestive of autumn. The artist signed his name at lower left. S...

Oil on board painting (24" by 18", frame 1 1/4" on a side), the subject a dirt road in a flaming autumn forest landscape, birch trees on either side, the sun dappled shadows violet, signed at lower right by the talented artist GEORGE FOREST PAYNE. Payne does not seem to have a biography but his paintings of autumn landscapes and coastal dunes, in the Northeast, have appeared at auction. This piece was found in Maine. Most certainly he was very familiar with Impressionist technique. This is an...

Oil on canvas painting of a dirt track in an autumn forest, 16" by 24" (25 1/2" by 33 1/4" as framed), signed at lower right by the noted Indiana impressionist, EDWARD SITZMAN (1874-1949). This is a peaceful scene of late autumn. The artist is known for his watercolor and oil paintings of such landscapes, usually lacking figures. Watercolors are more commonly seen, the oils relatively scarce. This example needs to be cleaned and varnished as the surface is dry and blanched, but with that cle...

Dynamic and complex, this is a colorful oil on canvas abstract, 40" by 18" (vertical format), 45" by 23" in the wood frame, titled on the stretcher "Figure in Movement" and signed nearby on the reverse canvas (a little hard to see in the photos). but, it has a significant, jagged unrepaired rip in it. I imagine the painting dates from the late 40's or the 1950's. It and another Schanker painting I will be listing came from the Marina del Rey (near Santa Monica) estate of Alice Himmelstein, dau...

A portrait of Hollywood actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), painted by an unknown artist, showing the artist as she would have appeared in the 1970's. The image shows a sultry Wood in her prime, staring at the viewer with her famous brown eyes. She is of course known for her roles in the films Miracle on 34th Street, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), West Side Story (1961) and Gypsy (1962), and she received Academy Award Best Actress nominations for her performances in Splendor in the Grass (1961) a...

Oil on board still life of red roses, and a few bumble bees in the composition as well, 24 1/4" by 18 1/2", 31 1/4" by 24 3/4" in likely original old gold frame, signed at lower left "N. Miller" and dated there 1910 or possibly 1916. This was executed in the early 20th century, but takes from a nineteenth century tradition in Victorian times----painting roses. In this case, the artist seems to have been familiar with the widely known artist Paul De Longpre (1855-1911), who painted flowers, oft...

Oil on canvas painting of California mountains, a line of back lit trees in the middle ground, 18" by 23 1/2" (26 1/2" by 33" in vintage frame), signed at lower right by well listed California and western artist JOE WAANO-GANO (1906-1982). Waano-Gano was of Cherokee heritage. Born in Salt Lake City, he moved to Los Angeles while still young, studying at UCLA and USC with Theodore Lukits and Christian von Schneidau. He was a familiar figure in the Hollywood area for many years, and worked for ...

Oil on canvas painting of a coastal bluff with gentle incoming waves, possibly Rhode Island near Newport but most certainly New England, 12" by 16" (20" by 24" nicely framed), signed at lower right and dated there (likely, a little hard to read) 1908, by Massachusetts artist of the famous Fall River School, BRYANT CHAPIN (1859-1927). Chapin's still life works of fruit, his specialty, have auctioned into five figures, but he did execute some landscapes and coastal scenes, (some of them of the Is...

Oil on canvas laid on board painting of a windswept cypress type tree by the coast dunes, 8 1/2" by 4 1/4" (14 1/2" by 10 1/2" attractively framed). Although unsigned (and Detreville's output frequently WAS unsigned), the handling, subject matter and color palette are strong indicators of the hand of the noted California painter. I have owned and sold other unsigned paintings as being by Detreville, and I will stand by this being one of his works. Detreville was born in South Carolina but is now...

A small landscape painting on canvas, (actually a very nice size for a small wall, 12" by 16", and 15" by 19" framed), signed at lower right by listed artist ANTON GUTKNECHT (1907-1988). We see a dirt road winding around the edge of a wooded area, a European village and small church seen in the far distance. Gutknecht was born in Dusseldorf and studied art in that German city, as well as Munich and Hamburg. For a time he taught at the Royal Academy in Vienna. At some point the artist moved t...

An impressionistic landscape of the arid American Southwest, possibly California, 20" by 30" (24" by 34" framed), signed at lower right by noted listed artist CHARLES DAMROW (1916-1989). The work features rugged mountains with no figures included. Damrow was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and headed west at age 13 on his own (the youngest of 15 children). He became infatuated with everything western, in the course of his life painting cowboys, Indians, tipis, bison, bears, horses. Self-taught,...

A genuinely antique, late 19th century oil on canvas scene of distant snowy sunlit mountains and closer mountains surrounding an inlet or fjord, several small figures at center, wood-frame structures at left, and long wood canoes in the foreground shore. The work measures 20 1/2" by 30 1/2" (27 1/2" by 37" as framed). I have carefully searched canvas, stretcher and frame for any evidence of a name, or other information, and have come up empty. Certainly the work is suggestive of Alaska or No...

Oil on canvas painting of a small house in the trees, 20" by 24" plus narrow strip wood frame, signed at lower right "Stahl" and dated there "42", titled on reverse "Laurel Ave." and signed and dated again there. This is an early work (**ONE OF TWO IN MY SHOP, THE OTHER VERY SIMILAR, JUST A BIT LARGER; I would like to keep them together because they make a most interesting pair), by the important, well-listed American illustrator artist and art educator BENJAMIN A. STAHL (1910-1987). Stahl was C...

An attractive plein air oil on canvas painting of the desert in spring with blooming pink verbena on the dunes, 13" by 15", unframed, signed at lower left by listed California artist GRACE T. HOWELL (1876-1966). Howell was born in Denver and showed early art talent. Married in 1897, she moved to Southern California in 1927, living in La Mesa, near San Diego. She painted the California deserts and coast. This oil could use a light cleaning to bring it to optimum condition. See another painti...

Small oil on canvas laid on board painting of a desert, mid to late 20th century, 4 1/2" by 6 1/2" (11 1/2" by 10" framed), signed at lower right by California desert painter KENNETH WALFORD. This is a rather typical example of the work of this artist. I have handled a number of Walford's works. Most feature desert landscapes. Biographical information on the artist seems to be scarce at this time. The painting is lightly soiled, linen liner is stained at upper right.

An impressionistic palette knife painting of dramatic, high, already snow-streaked mountains in peak autumn season, signed in the paint at lower left "W HARISCH". This 14 1/2" by 19 1/2" work (18" by 23" as framed) is by listed Canadian artist WILLIAM HARISCH (1914-1967). Harisch painted in a style that appears clearly European, and indeed works of his native country (one titled "Heidelberg") have come to market. Information is scant but he appears to have been in Canada at least by 1950 and ...

By the hand of renowned American painter AUGUSTUS VINCENT TACK (1870-1949), this is a beautifully worked portrait of a dark-eyed young woman wearing a lovely blue-white lacy dress, nervously fingering her pearls. The work is signed on the reverse and dated there 1904. Measurements are 24" by 18" (28" by 22" in what is likely the original frame). The painterly impressionist work in the dress area is masterful, as is the obviously skilled depiction of her hand. Tack was a noted artist who work...

Oil on unstretched canvas painting of a traditional temple's courtyard, signed at lower left "Pociecha", "Nikko", and dated 1920. This is a rare, very early work by a painter known commonly as STAN PORAY (Stanislaus Pociecha Poray, 1888-1948), and most associated with California art. The work measures 15 1/2" by 12 1/4". Poray was born into nobility (his father a count) in Krakow, Poland and was educated in art there and in Paris. For a short time thereafter he lived in Moscow, then in Tomsk...

This is a small California painting on board of the sequoia or redwood forest, 8 1/4" by 11" framed, unsigned, protected behind glass. Condition is excellent. Frame is wood. Though small, the artist captures the majesty of the cathedral-like groves for which the state is famous.

A nicely painted work of Boston-born still life painter CHARLES STORER (1817-1907), the subject red roses, painted on gray art board, measuring 10" by 14" (15 1/2" by 19 1/4" framed). The artist signed at center left edge and dated the painting 1901. This is an excellent example of still life work of the period in New England. Storer was born in Boston, He exhibited at the Boston Art Club and the National Academy. Most existing paintings appear to date to near the end of the artist's life. ...

Oil on canvas painting of a man seated in a library, 28" by 22" (34" by 27 3/4" framed), signed on the book cover at lower right and the subject apparently one "Dr. Young", by well listed Russian-born California artist ALEXANDER IGNATIEV (1913-1995). The work is very 1940's/1950's in feeling, almost mural-like. Ignatiev escaped Russia for China during the revolution and was in San Francisco by 1923, where he studied with Gleb Ilyin. Later in Los Angeles he studied at Chouinard with Millard Sh...

Fresh to the market (acquired in southern Pennsylvania antique shop), an oil on canvas landscape of typical tawny gold hills in late summer, signed at lower left by the well-listed California artist MANUEL VALENCIA (1856-1935). The work measures 15 3/4" by 24" on the stretcher, 20 1/2" by 28 1/2" in present frame. Anyone who has traveled the state after the winter/early spring rains have ended will recognize the unreal gold hillsides against cloudless blue skies, which the artist has captured ...

Sold together as a pair, unframed oil on masonite board paintings of trees in landscapes, the larger piece 30" by 40", the smaller one 24" by 35 1/2", both by the noted Santa Barbara/Ventura area California artist DOUGLAS SHIVELY (1896-1991). Shively was born in Santa Paula among the citrus and avocado groves, and he chose to continue to live in that scenic area his entire life, despite many overseas voyages. After serving in World War I he went into the banking business, ultimately reaching e...

Oil on masonite painting of a small adobe structure in a landscape, 11" by 14" and narrow frame, signed in green at lower left corner "Clapp". The work is impressionistic, and the subject suggestive of New Mexico. I checked with an authority on the works of Canadian/California artist William Henry Clapp (1879-1954) to see if he thought this might be by that artist, which would enhance its value significantly. He did not believe the work to be by that artist, citing style and signature, and sa...

Oil on canvas painting, unframed, 24" by 18", titled on stretcher in artist's hand "TAKING IN THE SIGHTS ON ROMANTIC CHURCH STREET, CHARLESTON", and signed at lower left by the late San Diego county artist and poet NATALIE REED. Reed was a familiar name in the arts community in the San Diego area, creating paintings and sculptures and even murals in large scale for public buildings, including a work for the Federal Building in downtown San Francisco. She was a traveler, painting along the way ...