Watercolor on paper, 8 1/4" by 3 7/8", (14 1/4" by 9 1/2" as framed), apparently unsigned, circa late nineteenth century (1890's), showing the famous Piazza San Marco in Venice. This is a highly detailed little painting; note the young lady and her mother at left foreground, feeding the pigeons, and the dapper man at left with his cane and top hat; and the ornate streetlights at right. Most likely this was a piece executed for the tourist souvenir trade, Venice being on the Grand Tour trail...

Oil on canvas, 12" by 16" (17" by 21" as framed---and likely original frame), signed at lower right by popular listed California artist HERBERT SARTELLE (1885-1955). This is a classic autumn scene of large trees and a lake with distant mountains, executed in Sartelle's unique impressionistic style. The painting probably dates to the 1940s or 1950s. It is in generally good condition, with the typical large cracking seen in a number of his paintings, (visible especially in the sky---see photo)...

Watercolor on heavy paper, 19" by 15 1/4" (28" by 24" as framed), the subject a California quail perched on a bleached snag in a vaguely defined, arid looking mountain landscape. The work is signed at lower right "MUGGS VAN SANT", and is not dated...

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...

Oil on canvasboard, 16" by 20" (19" by 23" in its simple wood frame), the subject Motif #1 in iconic Rockport, Massachusetts harbor at the tip of artists' paradise Cape Ann, circa 1950's or 1960's, signed at lower right by the artist. This is rather typical subject matter for Garabedian, who worked on the north shore, in Maine, and even away from the coastal areas, always painting in an impressionistic hand...

Oil on canvas of a verdant, flower-filled sunny courtyard, 16" by 20" and 1 1/2" wide frame, inscribed at lower left "Para Antonio y Cuca" and signed by the artist CARLOS S. SIEGER and dated 1945. I have researched the name online and elsewhere and cannot seem to come up with a listing, though the artist was skilled. I purchased this art in Miami Beach, so a Latin American origin is probable...

Gouache on paper, 16 1/2" by 10 3/4" and 4" on a side mat/frame, signed at lower left in Cyrillic with the possible name "Dreber" or "Dreiber" or "Dreyber", and dated 22 November 1974. This carefully crafted drawing of fuchsia and a tulip-shaped bloom reminds me of early American folk art Americana like Pennsylvania fraktur.......but, this is Russian! Condition is excellent with just slight mottling of a leaf... I think this could be just the artist's handling of the paint...

Gouache on paper or paper on board, 6 1/8" by 7 3/8" and 1 3/8" frame, (14" by 15" overall as framed), signed at lower left "Bud" DUNCAN, no date but likely executed circa 1940. This is skillfully executed, in high key colors of pink, yellow, and violet shades. There are some condition issues; a 1" hairline diagonal surface abrasion in sky at center, and several punctures/pressure cracks from the reverse through to the drawing at left and top, and in the busy sage clumps at right ...

Large oil on canvas, 30" by 36", 40" by 46" as framed , signed at lower right and dated "11" by listed American artist R.A. KISSACK (Robert A. Kissack, 1878-?). This painting seems to draw some of its inspiration from the famous work of Whistler's Mother....with the profile view, and the simple background, which consists here of a Japanese style framed print at upper left and a slag glass type early century lamp. The lamp and dim interior also lends an Arts and Crafts feeling. The St...

Here's an unusual item, a painting on white milk glass, in oil, measuring 5 1/2" by 7 1/2" and 8" by 10" as framed. The somewhat folk art feeling work is not signed. I would judge the age as anywhere from about 1880 to about 1920----a nautical type could probably date this more accurately by noting in which decade such a ship would have existed. Condition is good with minor paint losses from scratches and aging. However the small losses are not really noticeable at normal viewing distance...

Beautifully executed watercolor signed at lower left "DAVIES", of a male mallard in flight above a tawny field. Measurements 4 3/8" by 6 7/8" (11 3/8" by 13 1/2" as framed). I see there are a few listed Davies artists but am not sure that this is one of them. If you like wildlife and sporting art or are a member of Ducks Unlimited, you will like this little painting! .

Large oil on high quality canvas painting, 38" by 48", not signed on front but on reverse on stretcher is written "B Ingram", probably executed in the 1960's or early 1970's. The artist clearly had a knowledge of the surrealist works of the important Chilean modern artist Roberto Echaurren Matta, whose major oils greatly resemble the image in this painting. The more one looks at this work the more complexity, movement and three dimensional depth one sees. Condition is excellent...

Oil on canvas or board behind glass (not examined out of frame), 15 1/2" by 21 1/2" (25" by 31" as framed), signed at lower left, and inscribed there "Bettys-y-Coed" (not dated). This is a well known and picturesque part of Wales, an area that attracted many artists in the 19th and early 20th century. The artist may possibly be the listed EDWARD or EDWIN Masters. The works of those artists have sold at Christie's South Kensington auctions in London. Condition is good as it has been protected...

Ideal addition to kitchen or pantry area, a well-painted little still life of green and yellow zucchini squash, and an onion, 7 1/2" by 11 1/4" inside the linen mat, 11" by 15" framed, signed on the back of the canvas "Duffy '95". The framer's label is from Chicago so our artist may have been from Illinois. This is a decorative work and the skill of the artist is obvious. There is light wear to the frame. I had to open up the backing to find the signature and date.

An original very detailed watercolor drawing of a man who looks to be a commoner, drawn on paper laid on thin card or directly on card, 7 3/4" by 4 1/8" (14" by 11" in modern frame), signed at bottom with the distinctive signature of mid 19th century renowned academic painter and draftsman JEAN LOUIS-ERNST MEISSONIER (1815-1891). The drawing is finely crafted, the lone figure vignetted, the background empty. Meissonier was famous in Europe in his day, that fame buying a lavish lifestyle. His ...

Watercolor and pastel mixed media work on paper, 23 3/4" by 17 1/2" (28" by 21 1/4" framed), the subject a mother and her child in a northern European traditional interior (probably Dutch, judging from the wooden shoes and other details), the work signed at lower left "P. Doering" (PAUL DOERING 1864-1947). The artist is most closely associated with sunny California, to which he emigrated in 1910 from Germany, but his commonly encountered works are of people in humble interiors, going about thei...

Oil on canvas, 36" by 40" and a narrow black wood frame, circa 1970's, signed at lower right "JMac". There is a website for this artist's work, set up by the artist. I believe the type of painting might well be called "hard edge", there being sharp delineations between strips of color. This is a large and decorative work that will enhance any modern or mid century interior. The painting needs a simple cleaning, as over the years it has acquired some superficial brownish drips and soiling. Th...

Desert scene with distant mountains, possibly a scene in Texas or New Mexico, in oil on artist's board, 8 1/2" by 12 1/2", unframed, signed at lower right "M. Edwards", not dated but likely circa 1920 to about 1940, judging from the technique, soiling and the black board. I don't see a listing for the name but he or she was obviously talented. The painting is very, very dirty and would be a wonderful candidate for a cleaning, which would really transform it. Obviously it needs a frame too, bu...

Watercolor on paper, 15" by 11" inside the mat (21" by 17" as framed), signed at lower right by listed American artist GUSTAVE A. BRAND (1863-1944). This is a nicely crafted work of an overly ardent suitor chasing his classically dressed prey in an overgrown garden setting. The artist is not well known but he is listed and was apparently known in Chicago and the Midwest as a muralist. The condition of the work is excellent and this could be placed directly on the wall, though I' am not sure t...

The art of the native peoples of Australia has become very popular in recent years and works by major figures have achieved high prices. This work is unsigned and unattributed so is offered as a decorative piece. Measuring 19 1/2" by 23 1/4", the painting is acrylic on canvas laid against a wood panel. Condition is excellent. Ii would estimate the age as 1970's, possibly 1980's. The work came out of an estate in Corrales, New Mexico, near Albuquerque. This is an excellent decorative piece ...

This is a gouache and watercolor and ink on paper work, 21" by 29" (28 1/2" by 36" as framed), laid on board, by the California artist, socialite, and model, LUCILE BROKAW (1915-1984). The artist appears to be not well known today, although a student of George Grosz, but she was obviously talented and appears to have led a fascinating and glamorous life. There is a lot of information about her on the internet, a lot of it focusing on perhaps her greatest claim to fame: she was the subject of ...

Watercolor on paper, 15" by 22", signed at lower right in pencil "Denny Winters" and dated 1943, showing a shoreline with exposed rocks at low tide, perhaps on an estuary. The artist DENNY WINTERS (1905-1985) was born in Michigan and died in Maine, but spent time in the Midwest and California in her lifetime. She worked at Woodstock in a WPA style, but later works became abstract, and her full oeuvre includes printmaking. She had many exhibitions at major institutions like the Carnegie, Gugge...

Oil on small tabletop, showing a classic old master 17th or 18th century French scene but executed most likely in the late 19th century, 13 1/2" by 23 3/4" and rather heavy for its size, at six pounds. The painting is not signed and I believe it is purely decorative. The legs of the small table were lost long ago. The painting has considerable evidence of wear and age which adds to its charm. This includes light abrasions, soiling, craquelure, and old darkened, fully oxidized digs where the pain...

"Two Women at the Opera" oil on canvas 19 1/4" x 24 1/8" w/o frame, 29 1/2" x 34 1/2" w/ frame. Robert Philipp, painter and etcher was born February 2nd, 1895 in New York City. He studied at the Art Students' League whith Frank Vincent DuMond and George Bridgman from 1910 to 1914. He also studied at the National Academy of Design with Volk and Maynard from 1914 to 1917. Philipp painted a wide range of subjects from genre and portraits to Paris, bars, nudes, clowns, flowers and coasts. His style ...

Oil on quality canvas painting of a body of water glimpsed through trees in a foggy, veiled atmosphere, titled on reverse "On the Train to Paris 2003", and signed there by what appears as "Lantin Gunison" or similar. The title captures beautifully a particular scene that would appear only very momentarily on a long train ride, never to be seen again. Surprisingly, given the quality of the work, I am unable to locate an artist by that name or similar (though, I may be misreading the signature). ...

Watercolor on paper, unframed, 13 3/4" by 21 3/4", the subject a New England coastal scene with rocks, distant sailboats, and a lighthouse on a headland, the work signed at lower left. This is a typical watercolor painting by the noted artist OTIS S. WEBER (1847-) of New England. Although he is listed, and works sell regularly at auction, not a lot seems to be known about Weber's life and career, but paintings dated as early as 1876 are known. He seems to have worked into the 20th century. O...

An exceptional example of the work of Florida's well-listed impressionist artist, EMMETT FRITZ (1917-1995), the 16" by 20" work (20 3/4" by 24 3/4" framed) a view down St. George St. in the historic downtown area of St. Augustine on Florida's northeast coast. This example seems to be a particularly above average effort by the artist, and it is in exceptionally fresh condition, having just come from a Southern California estate. Fritz was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and served in the US Army...

Watercolor painting of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, circa turn of the century plus or minus a few years (bears date, apparently 1902, extreme right corner), 11 1/4" by 20", (20" by 28 1/2" as framed), signed at lower right indecipherably. The signature appears as "Bonary" or something similar. The painting was executed on paper, which has oxidized over the years, there being a definite browning now. The browning of the paper is even, with two vertical browned areas where there has been a...

Oil on canvas painting of a young ballerina, 50" by 30" (60" by 40" as framed), signed at lower left by noted American painter SAUL SCHARY (1904-1978). This is a large and impressive work that reminds one perhaps of the painting styles of Raphael Soyer, Robert Brackman, or Robert Phillipp. The young dancer is shown in her tights against a plain background that does not distract the viewer from her lovely figure and stance. Schary was born in 1904 in Newark, New Jersey, and was a very visible ...

This is a large and accomplished watercolor painting of a pedestrian-friendly, appealing street, (18" by 26 3/4", 24" by 44" framed) by the noted American watercolorist painter and much-loved art educator RUTH BADERIAN (1927-2010). From the names of the businesses in the scene, I was able to determine that the street scene is from Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, in the Caribbean. Baderian, who passed away in 2010 in her eighties, was a familiar figure on the watercolor ...

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...

Interesting and rare north Indian gouache and ink drawing with text, circa 1700's, by an anonymous artist working in India in the classic style. Measuring 4 1/2" by 10 5/8" (14 3/8" by 23 1/2" as professionally framed), this is a work that should be of considerable interest to the collector of Indian drawings. The work is detailed to the extreme, in the manner of Indian art, and the age is obvious. A previous owner lovingly protected this in a very professional mount; the item is floating in ...

A charming impressionistic oil on canvas painting of a French village, 21" by 29" (26" by 33 1/2" framed), signed at lower left by the well-listed prolific French artist GEORGES LAPORTE (1926-2000). The work, painted in grays, browns and greens, reminds a bit of the work of Maurice Vlaminck; note the French-style telephone pole at center. LaPorte painted the French coast of Normandy down to Burgundy, still life, and village scenes. Auction records exist to $9400. This example retains remnant ...

Oil on canvas still life of white flowers in a vase on a table top, a decorative curtain at left, 30" by 25", unframed, signed at lower left and inscribed there "For Mother & Dad", by the listed California artist EUGENE DUNLAP (1916-1999). Dunlap studied with the likes of Jack Wilkinson Smith, J. Mason Reeves and Nell Walker Warner. An exhibitor at the Golden Gate International Exhibition in 1939, he for a good part of his life was a part of the Laguna Beach art scene. Today Dunlap's landscap...

Oil on canvas, simply framed in wood, the canvas measuring 35 1/2" by 30" (90 cm. by 76 cm.) on the stretchers, signed at lower right in the wet paint and dated there "10-4-1996". This is a work by a popular and well regarded Indonesian painter, DJOKO PEKIK (1938-). The works of Pekik (sometimes spelled Pekek) have sold to at least the $40,000 level at auctions of Southeast Asian paintings in Singapore and Hong Kong. The artist was discussed, curiously, in an "Art in America" 1996 article: "...

For the fans of the "Big Eye" paintings, here is a pair of mid century retro style works in oil on board, each 23 1/2" by 11 1/4", and each signed at lower right. The signatures are hard to decipher; I'm guessing "Balmiani" or "Dalmiani". If I am reading them at all correctly, I am not able to tie these names to any of the listed, recognized big eye painters. Regardless of authorship, these are sure to please the devoted big eye collector. One of them has some light to moderate surface scuff...