A work of Surrealism, 22" by 26", unframed, the imagery a strange landscape in blues, two bare trees at right center, and an odd shaped biomorphically-inspired form (part looks like an index finger complete with nail) at left foreground, completing the strange composition. The painting is signed at lower right by the artist; the first name is Bruce and the last name is difficult to make out, perhaps Hailey, Harley, Hurley or similar...

Oil on canvas still life painting, including a red teapot, plates, funnel, cup, and fruit, all on a striped table cloth with further drapery in the background, 20" by 24", unsigned on front and bearing the name "H. HOWARD" and date "OCT. 74" on the stretcher. There is an African-American artist by the name Humbert Howard but this work does not resemble the work I see out there on the net...

Often confused with artist Lawrence NELSON Wilbur (both auction records and biography almost hopelessly intermingled), this is an oil on canvas impressionist still life painting by the illustrator, Lawrence Wilbur (1897-1960). This listed artist was active in the New York City and Northern New Jersey area at mid century as an illustrator, landscapist, and portraitist. He signed typically with the oblique line below his name, as is seen here...

Acrylic on canvas painting, 24" by 24", unframed, signed illegibly lower right, also dated there 06 and inscribed. I cannot make out the signature, and do not know if it be simply by an amateur of considerable talent, or perhaps, by a known artist? The signature most definitely has a professional look to it.

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...

Here is a decorative Americana item, if you enjoy the work of one of America's most beloved and famous painters, EDWARD HOPPER, but you can't afford to buy the real thing (priced well into the millions), and yet you want something more than an offset print in a plastic frame. A Hopper painting similar to this is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and it measures 29 1/2" by 43 1/2"...

Impressionist oil on canvas painting of the famous beach at Laguna Beach, California, signed at lower left by the well-listed Russian-born artist who made his home in the Southwest, CONSTANTINE CHERKAS (1919-2011). The work measures 18" by 24" (25" by 31" framed). Cherkas was born in Moscow and showed unusual early talent. He studied there and later in Vienna and Munich, his life disrupted by World War II, during which he was arrested by the Nazis and sent to a camp...

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...

Oil on canvas, 19 1/2" by 25 1/2" (25 1/2" by 31 1/2" as framed)---(possibly an inner frame, the outer one long since separated), apparently unsigned, circa early 20th century, the subject the famous and unique twin Thatcher Island lighthouses (also known as Cape Ann Light Station), about one mile off the coast of Rockport, Massachusetts. The lighthouses were erected in 1861 as a pair, thereby aiding navigation by mariners. Each is 124 feet in height...

This is a marriage of a circa 1880 gold American Victorian frame with distinctive and unusual diamond patterns in the gilt, the frame rabbet 14" by 18", the framed item total 19 1/2" by 23", a mid 20th century still life signed "Olenick" set into it. It makes for an interesting combination but doesn't have to necessarily stay that way. The antique frame itself is very attractive and could potentially house any number of 19th century paintings...

Naive, or slightly primitive, almost folk art painting of clapboard 19th century style buildings next to an inlet of the sea, signed at lower right by artist Martha Crosmer. I see a listing for an artist by that name, born 1909, deceased 1995, last known address in Monrovia in Southern California, with earlier roots to Montana, but this painting does not resemble the desert plein air works that artist apparently painted...

Oil on canvas classic landscape with feathery trees, rolling clouds and distant view, 28" by 38" (34" by 44" as framed), signed at lower left by English-American artist A. SPENCER (Andrew Spencer, born 1896), and titled on stretcher "A Berkshire Landscape". The artist has frequently been misidentified (often said to be one "Augustus Spencer" on AskArt and in auction records)...

Oil on canvas painting, 18 1/2" by 24 1/2" including the thin red wood frame, circa 1960's or 1970's, signed on the stretcher "John J. Molino"...

Oil on canvasboard landscape of Southern California including distant oil derricks, 12" by 16", unframed, not signed on front but on back signed and with artist address at the time in Sunland, CA, a Los Angeles suburb. The forest of oil wells could be in a place like Signal Hill, or Long Beach, near Huntington Beach, or, any number of other points in Southern California or the southern Central Valley west of Bakersfield. This is a work by the talented wife of another talented artist, Roy Brook...

Oil on board Currier and Ives style winter landscape viewed from birds eye perspective, 18 1/2" by 24 1/2", 23" by 28 1/4" framed, unsigned, circa 1900, or possibly even earlier, painted in a primitive hand. The painting is charming and a definite folk art piece. Note the glowing windows of the inviting church on this winter day, there are two figures at left that look positively Dickensian, and the sled and figures show good detail. Condition is reasonably good, though not flawless, as would be...

Oil on 8" by 10" canvasboard painting of an autumnal landscape, a fertile apple tree at left ready to yield its riches, golden leaves at right partially obscuring a distant arid mountainside, (12 1/2" by 14 1/2" in deep light oak framing), signed at lower right "MIRIAM K. PARKER" and dated there 1966. My first impression was that this might be a New Mexican scene, and research of the artist name suggests that this hunch might be right. Google shows a Miriam K. Parker 1914-1977 as an Albuquerqu...

American (likely California) oil on canvas painting, 5" by 4" (8 3/4" by 7 5/8" in stained oak period frame), signed at upper right corner with initials "M.W." and dated there '87 (or, possibly, '97). Stamped on the stretcher is "Fred Rhoda/Fruitvale, Cal", and written in pencil in an old hand is " Whitney"; we can probably assume therefore that the artist is one M. Whitney. A googling of the stamped name shows Fred Rhoda (1810-1886) was a Civil War veteran who owned some 400 acres in the Oakl...

A PAIR of oil on canvas paintings, one featuring a large sprig of small white flowers and leaves, the other larger one a vessel on a table filled with and surrounded by violets. Both are signed at lower right in red "L. F. Haftzger", and the larger one has "1899" written on the reverse side of the canvas. Measurements are 12" by 17" (18" by 22 1/4" in dark stained oak frame), the other 8" by 15 1/2" (12 3/4" by 20 1/2" framed). I do not see a listing for an artist of this name. Both paintings...

A highly decorative and good-sized painting on canvas of a vintage motorcycle, painted in a Pop Art style. The work is unsigned and probably dates to the past twenty years. It was painted by a competent artist with training. Unframed, the work measures 30" by 30". Will add an interesting twist to your contemporary interior. Very clean and wall-ready.

Mixed media on panel painting of two horses tethered to a small tree in a desert landscape, unsigned, 10 1/4" by 13 3/4" (18 1/2" by 21 3/4" in black complementary frame). The painting, according to its previous owner, came from a large group of mostly signed works (in Oro Grande, CA where both artists painted) of the noted, well listed California and western artist JIMMY SWINNERTON (1875-1974). It was also suggested that the painting could be by his painting buddy and friend in the area, BILL...

Oil on Masonite painting, 18" by 7 3/4" (24" by 13 3/4" as framed, with liner), the subject two young girls and their classic olla-type water or grain pots. of the Southwest. This is likely a New Mexico or Arizona scene, executed in tan and brown earth tone colors. The painting is signed in black at lower left "Ch. Bragg"; I believe this to be the work of the well-known California-based American illustrator artist Charles Bragg (1931-2017), though, this is perhaps best offered as "attributed" ...

By the hand of well listed California artist ARNOLD BRAY (1892-1972), a small unframed oil on canvasboard (16" by 12") titled on reverse in pencil "Show Girl", signed and dated at lower right 1948. Bray was born in Odessa, Russia and came to San Francisco with his family at age 10. He studied at the California School of Fine Arts and later taught there. Bray assisted San Francisco artist Lucien Labaudt when the latter artist was commissioned by the WPA in 1936 to create a mural for the Willi...

Oil on canvas, 15" by 19" (22" by 25 1/2" as framed), the subject the famous Taos Pueblo of northern New Mexico, an iconic scene of the Great Southwest, the painting signed at lower right "Stowell". Included in this picture is a stormy dark sky, the pueblo itself bathed in a ray of sun, and no less than eight figures and one saddled horse. I have researched the signature and cannot definitively tie this to any particular artist, listed or otherwise. There IS a Sherman Stowell, who painted in ...

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. The condition is somewhat less than optimal...........

A circa 1920 painting of a waterfall emerging from a steep cliff above a gorge, signed at lower right by artist S. P. Christesen. I do not see a listing for an artist by this name, or Christensen, but clearly he/she was talented. The scene would appear to be western American, though I recently viewed photos of the noted Montmorency Falls in Quebec, Canada, and there is a strong resemblance to this scene. A hint to the origin may be on the reverse, where "Fab-Rik-O-Na" is printed on the burlap...

Oil on canvasboard, 22" by 28", signed in white at upper left "A. Strauss" and dated "53". This is a rather interesting modern work that is rather hard to describe; it is, MODERN. The signature has a European look to it. I acquired this in the San Francisco area years ago. Condition is generally good, with a little soiling at top from a spilled substance I believe to be coffee, probably easily removed; a few minor scrapes and dents in the pink at top center and the mustard and red colored ar...

A small unframed oil on Masonite painting, 8" by 10", signed at lower left indecipherably, the work a fantasy landscape painted very much in the style of acclaimed California artist Eyvind Earle (1916-2000). The neon green sunlit strip, the surreal shadows cast by rocks there, the bare tree, the hillside, all are reminiscent of Earle's work. A silvery frame might work on this. Surface is a bit dusty, and heavily varnished. There are some very light drips of something at right center.

A whimsical, colorful painting of a cat, signed at lower right with initials "C.L" and dated there 1980. The work is on canvas, 21" by 25 1/4" framed. The unknown artist was certainly talented. Further research could possibly determine his/her identity. The painting is in very good vintage condition. There is a bit of light soiling here and there but no punctures or other issues.

This is a late 19th century American painting by an anonymous artist, from the heart of the Victorian age. It measures 16" by 24" on the original stretchers (21 1/4" by 30" including the frame and probably original red velvet liner). The peaceful scene includes a lake with eight ducks in the foreground, a shore in the foreground, two rowboats at right, a quaintly undersized man and woman in Victorian garb at left, overhanging dark trees, a small waterfall emanating from a mill, and distant low...

Acrylic on canvas painting in black, red and blue on white background, 28" by 39 1/2" as framed, signed in the lower left corner "J. Brooks". I am offering this as a bold, modern decorative painting, and NOT as a genuine work of the important American artist James D. Brooks (1906-1992). Condition is excellent and save for some wear on the cream-colored frame, this is ready for display.

Oil or acrylic on board, large and impressive wall-filling size at 33 1/2" by 45" (41 1/2" by 53" as framed), in a very contemporary style incorporating the complex geometric small squares repeating patterns of artist Robert Natkin, with the addition of various swirls and carefully placed parallel lines. The artist was surely familiar with Natkin's work. The work is signed in one corner GOLYAR----I do not see a listing by this name or any other information online corresponding to an artist of th...

A **PAIR** of oil on canvas laid on board paintings of New Orleans scenes, each 16" by 7" (and 19" by 10" identically framed), each signed "Mansfield". The works are by listed artist GEORGE DRUMMOND MANSFIELD (who also sometimes signed "Drummond"). The works are often in vertical format like these, and sold in pairs. One of the present works features the famous St. Louis cathedral with Andrew Jackson statue, the other the famous Brulatour Courtyard (I think). The works date to probably about ...

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...

Oil on canvas laid on board 9 3/4" by 8", unframed, the subject a red-haired child, signed at lower right by the noted children's art illustrator at mid century, MAUD TOUSEY FANGEL (1881-1968). The work is slightly reminiscent of the impressionism of Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Fangel was a much-in-demand illustrator for east coast-based magazines such as Ladies Home Journal. She came to be something of a celebrity when it came to depicting children awake and asleep. The present work has acquired a...

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 painting of waves at a rocky coastline, unframed, 15 3/4" by 20", likely by a listed artist but unsigned. The work was executed sometime around 1950 I would surmise. Condition is good and this should fit nicely into an easy-to-find standard size 16" by 20" frame.

Oil on board painting of old houses in an American town, 12" by 16" (15" by 19" framed), the auto in the scene suggesting a circa 1930 date, unsigned, housed in an old 19th century Victorian style frame with patterned gold inner fillet. The work suggests to me the famous watercolor art of American artist Charles Burchfield, or at least other painters of the "American Scene" and WPA period. The work has been subjected to water which has left a pattern of water drops over the surface. This coul...

A circa turn of the century oil on canvas painting of a creek and surrounding woods in the autumn of the year, 11 1/2" by 22 1/2", on canvas, and 17 1/2" by 29" in likely original frame, apparently unsigned. The work has survived over a century in excellent condition. No punctures or problems. There are a few chips missing from the frame. A pleasing, easy to live with scene that brings a sense of calm and reflection.

An oil on canvas painting, 18" by 14", unframed, the scene a sunny urban slice of life, a bridge arching over a canal with light standards and buildings and trees as the sunlight sparkles on the water. The place could be Venice, California, or perhaps Newport Beach. The painting is signed in light purple at lower left with conjoined initials "MZ", which bring to mind the noted California artist Milford Zornes (1908-2008). However, I showed the painting to a close friend of Zornes and an autho...

Oil on Masonite painting of coastal rocks and waves, framed in an interesting and appealing vintage wood frame, signed at lower right by artist J. Wessely. I do not see a listing for the artist, who created an attractive and dynamic composition. The painting measures 18" by 24" (22 3/4" by 28 3/4" framed). It could date to about the early 1950's, judging from frame and board. The frame has a rugged, "Cabin Art" feeling with bold outdoorsy carving. It shows some moderate wear which could lik...

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. After World War 2 service, the artist...

An impressionist still life of vase and flowers on a table top in an interior, 23 1/2" by 17 1/2" (29" by 22 3/4" framed), signed at lower right by artist HAIG ALTOUN and dated there 1940. The work is beautifully executed by a trained hand but strangely I do not see a listing for an artist by this name, which is of Armenian extraction. Condition is excellent.

An interesting contemporary painting of a middle-aged man sitting on a stool in a homey, cozy interior, a fireplace, paned window and painting set off by orange pastel colored walls. The unsigned work, by a trained hand, reminds of some of the interior paintings with figures by David Hockney. The oil on canvas, unframed, measures 30" by 24". It is in excellent condition. A silvery, or simple blond wood strip frame might be complementary.

Oil on canvas good-sized painting, 21" by 29", (29" by 36 1/2" in gold frame), the subject a small lake or pond with adjacent floral bloom, almost as in a botanical garden or groomed park, that bloom reflected beautifully in the water, signed at lower left by the late California artist KASANDRA F. MARTELL (1925-2019). Martell was born near Mexico City and by the late 1950's was very entrepreneurial for a woman of her day with four children. After meeting an American businessman she moved to Ca...

PAIR of attractive impressionist paintings of a late autumn landscape with flaming trees, and a stream in a birch forest in spring, both oil on canvasboard, each signed lower right by artist M. F. BILAN and dated 1954. The artist does not appear to be listed but was talented. The strong contrast of the seasons portrayed makes the pair very complementary. The name suggests Russian or Jewish heritage. Frames are original and one has some staining at left as shown. Measurements are 16" by 12" ...

Oil on canvas painting of famous Morro Rock, the 500 foot high landmark and sentinel that for time immemorial has guarded the harbor at Morro Bay on the coast of central California. The work is titled on the stretcher "August Sunset by Marjorie Sharpe". Beautifully painted, the artist has captured the wispy clouds that cling to the top of the rock and the reflections of the fishing boats. Sharpe is listed in the Dictionary of California Artists by Hughes, who mentions that she was active in Sa...

Oil on canvas painting of a desert landscape, 18" by 24" (27" by 34" framed), signed at lower right by the listed California painter AILEEN POWERS STEPHENS (1889-1982). The artist also dedicated it to her daughter Helen, in July 1978, on the occasion of the latter's birthday, in an inscription on the reverse. Stephens was born in Kansas into an artistic family. She was related to the important 19th century American sculptor Hiram Powers. Stephens studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and w...

An impressionist oil on canvas painting of an old late 19th century American church in a western city, as snowcapped mountains loom at right, signed at lower right corner "Crossen '75". This might be by a listed artist, Michigan-born Preston McCrossen (1894-1981), who worked in New Mexico. amd California. I have googled brick churches in western cities to try to identify the subject. There is a church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Denver, Colorado, that bears a considerable resemblance, but...

Oil on canvas winter landscape painting in an impressionist hand, a snow-covered road leading to a cluster of houses in the distance, 16" by 20", unframed, signed at lower right by listed American woman artist CHARLOTTE LIVINGSTON (1898-1991). The painting captures the quiet solitude in early winter after the first snow (a lot of autumn color remaining suggests the winter season is not all that far advanced). Livingston was born in New York and studied at the National Academy and the Art Stude...

Large and complex abstract drawing, possibly in oil stick or oil pastel, 27 1/2" by 18 1/2" (37" by 24 1/2" as framed), signed at lower right "Zohar" and dated there "12/89". This is a fairly common Israeli name and there are listed artists by this name but the style and signature do not seem to match up with them, so I am offering this as a great abstract that is sure to please from the decorative standpoint. It will be shipped without glass as the sheet is too large to send without risk of b...

Colorful oil on canvas unframed painting (24" by 20") featuring lily pads on a woodland pond, signed at lower right by listed California artist JOHN MARTIN HISS (1891-1972). It likely dates to about the 1950's. Hiss was essentially a talented hobbyist artist; he is best known as a physician and orthopedic surgeon who devised remedial treatments for disorders of the feet. The work is in excellent vintage condition. I note an inconsequential hairline scratch at mid right.

Oil on canvasboard panel painting, 16" by 20" (21 1/2" by 25 1/2" framed) featuring the iconic towering monoliths of Monument Valley, Arizona, with mounted cowboys and Conestoga wagon adding a human touch to the scene, signed at lower right by Southern California artist Billie van Bogart. The work probably dates to the 1960's or early 1970's at latest. Would add a very decorative touch to your Southwest interior. There are a few internet references to a woman by this name in Orange County (wh...

Oil on canvas painting of many pink asters of various shades in a ceramic vase on a tabletop against a greenish curtained background, 18" by 22", 22 1/2" by 26 1/2" as framed, signed at lower right with the distinctive conjoined signature of HARRY HAMBRO HOWE (1886-1966). Howe was a prolific New England artist known for his coastal and White Mountain (New Hampshire) scenes, though he was known to have created still life works as well. He was the son of sea captain T. Bailey Howe, who was appar...

Oil on masonite painting, (24 1/2" by 31" as framed) of a clipper with bare masts, at anchor near a beach at dawn or sunset, signed at lower right by artist Sean O'Farrell. I do not see any listings for this artist, who obviously had a solid command of painting. The work was likely created circa 1960's. There is a small loss at upper left, otherwise it is in excellent condition. The frame is likely older, dating perhaps to the 1940's or 1950's, and it is itself interesting and of value.

For the den or man cave of the fly fisherman, here is a rustic painting on plywood panel of a trout leaping to catch what appears to be a large yellow moth or butterfly flitting just above the water's surface. The painting is actually titled "Butterfly" at bottom center. At right corner is the name of the artist, W. L. Mohl or Mahl, and "White Pine Pk. 1939". There is a "White Pine Peak" in both Utah and Nevada. This was found in Fresno, in central California. The work measures 23 1/2" by 1...

Oil on masonite panel painting of a Texas landscape with oaks and bluebonnet in the spring, 16" by 20", unframed, signed at lower left by artist Nancy McDonald. According to the daughter of the artist, Nancy's paintings were sold in the San Antonio area. She belonged to the River Art Group for many years. McDonald passed away in 2011. The painting is attractive and squarely within the "Bluebonnet School" tradition of Texas art. Other than a stubbed upper left corner, which will be mostly or...

An oil on canvas painting of a clipper in full sail on the high seas, 16" by 20" (19 3/4" by 23 3/4" framed), signed at lower right in red by artist PAUL MASON and dated there with what appears as 1936. The work features attractive impressionist technique and colors. A search for information on the artist was not productive. There is a framer's label from Boston's Beacon Hill area, so we can likely assume that the artist was a New Englander. The surface is dry and there are some tiny losses ...

Oil on board painting titled on reverse "MORNING FOG", with artist's Laguna Beach stamp nearby, 16" by 20" (22" by 26" framed), signed lower left and dated there 1954, the subject a coast with rocky promontories and foreground beach, by listed artist Edward L. Fernsten (1892-1980). Fernsten was born in Oakville, California in the Napa Valley. He was largely self-taught but did have some instruction time under Boardman Robinson and Robert Graham. The creator of approximately 100 etchings, he b...

A decorative oil on canvas painting of a winter forest and pond scene, executed in predominantly blues, browns and white, the generous and liberal amount of paint quite vigorously and impressionistically moved around by the artist, JULIAN RHINEHARDT (1915-), who signed at lower right. The 24" by 20" work (34 1/2" by 30 1/2"as framed) is in excellent condition. Painting probably dates to the 1970's or early 1980's. Rhinehardt's biographical information seems to be elusive. Some retail art gal...

Lovely still life painting, oil on canvas of basket of fruit, either peaches or plums, in gilt gesso frame with floral designs. Measures 16" x 21 1/4", stretcher is 12" x 17". Unsigned, well painted, artist likely had some academic training. Lush image of fruit spilling from a basket, against a dark background, very typical of still life paintings from mid to late 19th century, American school. Frame is wood with gesso finish consisting of floral and foliate designs over a textured backgroun...