Oil on linen laid on board, 16 1/4" by 23 1/4", the simple modern frame about 1 1/4" wide, signed at lower right by listed California woman artist M.E. HODGDON, not dated but likely before 1920. The painting recently came out of Maine, where it had possibly resided for decades, perhaps brought east by an early day traveler wanting a souvenir. The artist, MARY E. HODGDON, is said by Hughes in his dictionary of California artists to have been a resident of Los Angeles between 1912 and 1922...

Oil on canvas painting of small figures walking a dirt track in autumn along the shore of a lake, 19 3/4" by 24" (28" by 32" framed), signed at lower right with what appears as "Fan UDKO". I believe the work is likely by a listed artist but I cannot come up with any listing from the name, at least as I am reading it. Perhaps more research might identify the artist. The painting is competently executed...

Oil on panel, 9 1/4" by 12 1/2" (14 1/4" by 17 1/4" as framed), signed at lower left in red "Karla Mirabal", and inscribed on label on reverse, "Judge M. R. Mirabal Homestead in New Mexico" "Artist Karla King--So Calif and New Mexico--Artists of West--WHAA". This is probably of historical interest, depicting as it does an early home. The work is very impasto and impressionistic. The painting is a bit soiled but could be placed on the wall as is. Note the two young girls on the porch.

Oil on canvas unframed painting of two chairs and a glass-topped table on a peaceful terrace overlooking an extensive landscape, likely California, 16" by 20", unsigned. The artist is anonymous but his/her work is quite skilled and pleasing. The impressionistic handling of this scene makes for a most decorative and appealing painting. The regular size should make framing easy and inexpensive.

A PAIR of American oil on board mountain landscapes, each 23 1/2" by 11 3/4" (29 1/2" by 17 1/2" framed), both signed at lower corner A. A. Baker. There does not seem to be biographical information on the Hudson River-inspired artist, who likely painted these in the mid 1880's. It is doubtful that they have ever been cleaned. There is a smell of smoke. One has a 1" puncture of the board (in the tree at right), the pressure having come from the reverse side; the piece remains attached...

In the style of masters like William Harnett, John F. Peto, Otto Kaye and others, this is a painting of an ink bottle, old style fountain pen, pipe and matches, stamped envelope and calendar, signed at lower right "Roy Fay". The letter, in the trompe l'oeil" (French for "fool the eye") tradition, is addressed to himself, in "Pasadena, Cal", and is interestingly postmarked in Kansas. The calendar is from the "Ohio Grocery", of Pasadena, and the calendar sheet reads November 1912...

Oil on canvasboard painting of flowering yucca ("Spanish Bayonet") in a landscape, signed at lower right by Barbara White, a talented artist from Silver City, New Mexico, who was elected first president of the organization in 1968. There does not seem to be much other information readily available on the net, but one reference does indicate that she is deceased. The painting measures 9" by 12" and 15" by 18" framed. The artist wrote her name, address and the title "N...

Circa 1940's or 1950's oil on canvas, 25" by 30", (33" by 38" as framed), the subject a vase with pink and white flowers, some blue cornflowers at lower left in front of an open oriental fan, the entire scene suffused with a pinkish, mid-century light. The painting is signed at lower right by the Who Was Who in American Art-listed JOSEPH LANE (1900-), an artist and muralist who trained at the Art Institute of Chicago...

Oil on canvas painting executed in an impressionist style showing small rowboats on a lake in a park, 8" by 10" and 14" by 16" as framed, signed at lower right by listed artist LOUISE RICHARDSON DODD. The artist is listed in the Davenport art dictionary but I have found no other information on her. I would lean towards her being an east coast artist. This is a lovely scene, perhaps of a lake one would find in a large park...

Oil on canvasboard circa 1960 painting of a variety of flowers in a ceramic yellow vase artistically placed on a textile with another ceramic vessel nearby, signed at lower left "Betty Way". The work, which measures 24" by 18", also bears a label on the reverse with the artist's name and address in Springfield, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. To date I have not located a known artist by this name. A Betty Way of Harrisburg, PA was a newspaper circulation manager...

A circa late 1930's to early 1940's painting titled on the reverse "Molas Lake and Needle Mountains, Silverton Colorado", signed at lower right by artist C. H. Rising...

An oil on canvasboard painting of the California desert, painted in unusually pastel-y color palette, signed at lower left by artist Alzira Maria. The piece, 22" by 28" (28" by 34" framed) features an almost Cubist handling in the distant mountains, reminding of artists such as Andrew Dasburg. The painting is clean and wall-ready. Frame is attractive distressed wood style, and liner and gold fillet are in good condition.

Oil on board landscape, unsigned, the subject a panorama of red rock cliffs and distant butte, likely in Arizona, or possibly Utah, the scene framed by tree at right. The work has some age, a guess would place this circa 1955 to about 1965. Certainly it is good enough to have been painted by a listed artist. The condition is acceptably good. There is a little moisture warp (not stained, just a warp) from possible past storage perhaps in a garage setting, and the back of the board is rough fr...

Oil on canvas modernistic still life, 12" by 20" (13" by 21" in a narrow wood frame), signed at lower right "R. FORTIER" and dated there 1948. The work reminds me a little bit of Braque, Picasso or some of the other 20th century giants who painted modern still life. This painting was evidently owned by a heavy smoker or was in a bar or restaurant where smoke was very much a part of the scene, as it is very heavily yellowed and smells of smoke. I believe that once cleaned, yellows, blues and p...

Vintage oil of white, yellow and pink roses on a table top, circa Victorian late 19th century to the early years of the new century, apparently unsigned, in pleasing old wood and gilt frame, the entire work as framed measuring 11" by 13 1/4". The canvas is laid against the backing but is not glued down to it so there is some rippling. Other than a few minor surface abrasions the overall impression is quite beautiful. A fine acquisition for the still life collector or shabby chic decorator.

Painting on canvasboard, I believe in tempera or similar, (not oil), 16" by 20" (21" by 25" framed), titled on reverse "SWAYBACK", and signed at lower right "CHARLES TRUMBO HENRY" and dated there 1948. The artist was a student of Thomas Hart Benton, Boardman Robinson, and George Grosz. Little known today, he was an active exhibitor and major museums include his work in their collections. Henry was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and his remains are at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angele...

Oil on canvas impressionist still life of flowers, 24" by 30" (30" by 36" in the vintage, period frame), signed at lower right by listed California artist Edwin L. Forker (1876-1958). Born in Pennsylvania, Forker was in California by 1918. He is known today for the body of decorative paintings he left for posterity. This work is in excellent condition, having come directly from a West Los Angeles house where it was displayed for many years.

Oil on canvas California coastal landscape, in extremely poor condition, in need of someone to love it and preserve it. The work measures 19" by 22" (23" by 26" framed), and is signed at lower right J... WITT. From comparison to a fully signed painting, I can say that this is a work of listed California artist JESSIE R. DeWITT. DeWitt was active in the Laguna Beach area in the 1940's, and has some ties to Arkansas, but generally there is little biographical information available on this talen...