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...

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.

This is a fine ink and wash drawing, 9 3/4" by 13 3/4" (16 5/8" by 20 1/2" framed), titled at lower left "CAPRI" and signed there by the artist, GONSALVO CARELLI (1818-1910). The artist's name is sometimes spelled "Consalvo" or "Consalve" or "Gonsalve". The scene includes more than ten vessels ranging from little more than rowboats to masted sailing ships. The famous island of Capri looms as a backdrop, the foreground boats filled with carefully drawn figures...

Icon-style painting in gouache on board, late 20th century, executed in the style of ancient religious icons, the painting 10 1/2" by 8" inside the mat, 19 3/4" by 17 1/4" in its pleasing, quality light oak frame. The painting is titled "Saint Neofytos", which literally means, according to a Greek-speaker with whom I consulted (for a lack of a better term), the "NEWLY INITIATED ONE"...

By the noted California artist FRANK MOSS HAMILTON (1930-1999) is this gouache on paper painting, 11 1/4" by 15 1/2" inside the frame, 19" by 23 1/2" framed, signed at lower right by the artist and titled there "December Snow". Hamilton was a highly talented master of realistic painting, sometimes in oil but perhaps more impressively in gouache or tempera or casein type media...

Oil on canvas, 36" by 24" (45" by 33" as framed in wood), the subject a wicker chair draped with lacy cloth, a painting in the background and tea pot at right, signed with what appears as "Egeun" at lower right and dated 82. A Greek-speaker emailed me to inform me that the signed name is, in Greek, "Eleni" (Greek for "Helen"). This is a bright, contemporary painting in really excellent, fine wall-ready condition.

One of three works in my shop by the same artist, F. KENWOOD GILES of Bermuda, is this watercolor on paper painting, 14" by 19 1/2" inside the mat, 20 1/2" by 26 1/2" as framed, the subject a pink-walled, white-roofed island home on a lovely piece of property, flowering oleander shrubs and a few pines or cedars completing the happy scene. The paintings are not dated, but I believe that they would have been created in the 1950's...

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...

An impressively large (26" by 39", and 40" by 53" in a fine high quality gilded oak style frame of the period) watercolor landscape of a fascinating primeval, mystical forest interior, signed at lower right by English Victorian period artist JOSHUA RENSHAW, who was active in the 1880's and 1890's, though little biographical information is available...

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, 27" by 39" (32 1/2" by 44 1/2" as framed), the scene a deep blue lake with small boats and a dock, puffy clouds filling the sky on a peaceful summer day. It is an expansive scene, large enough to invite the viewer to feel he is a part of it. I suppose the work is Swedish or Danish. The artist chose to sign with just the conjoined initials "HM" at lower left, where it is also dated 1948...

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...

At first glance this might appear to be a print, but it is not: it is an amazingly crafted quite large hyper-real watercolor painting, 29" by 19 3/4" inside the mat, 37 1/2" by 26" framed, signed at lower right by the artist, JAY RATHER. From my internet research, this appears to be a work by the son of Texas artist Herb Rather (1930-), who painted in a similar style, though the online reference mentions Jay as Herb's father, not his son...

Oil on canvas, 25 1/2" by 18" (32 1/2 by 24 1/2" as framed), apparently unsigned, circa 1930 to 1950, and very probably European (French or perhaps Scandinavian, judging from the stretcher). The painting is something of a mystery, the mysterious hand and spectacles at lower left coming from outside the image area. Almost certainly this was created by a listed artist but without a signature I cannot go further on that front...

Watercolor on paper, unframed, 9" by 11 3/4", signed at lower right in pencil, and signed again and apparently titled on the reverse, by the noted, long-lived American artist, THERESA FERBER BERNSTEIN (1890-2002). The watercolor likely dates to about the middle years of the 20th century, I would guess. Writing on the reverse seems to say "Israel/Yarkon River"...

ONE OF SEVERAL WORKS BY THE ARTIST IN MY SHOP---Watercolor on paper of a principal street in the French Quarter of New Orleans,14 1/2" by 10 1/2" inside the mat and 21 1/2" by 17 1/2" as framed, signed at lower right by the listed New Orleans artist TOM LANE (1916-1991). Lane was born in Toledo, Ohio but became a familiar figure in the French Quarter, painting in oil and watercolor the familiar and much-loved scenes frequented by tourists. This example is titled in the mat at lower left "Rue Roy...

American circa 1910 or at least early twentieth century pastel on paper drawing of grapes, apples and a banana, 17" by 20 3/4" framed in an oval, unsigned. The work is typical of pastel still life of the period, though I do not believe it by the "Chandler" workshop. Modest homes of the period were lucky to have an original work of art rather than a print. This one has survived in very good condition. The frame has a bit of wear consistent with age, including a broken off piece of the outer r...

Watercolor on paper painting, 18" by 12 3/8" (24" by 18" as framed), unsigned, the subject classic red roses, buds and leaves, all in a pleasing vintage gold frame which is in very good condition, with just a little bit of loss at bottom margin. The painting likely dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. It has survived in fine shape, with no foxing nor water stains. If you fancy the Shabby Chic style, this is a natural.