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Directory: Fine Art: Paintings: Oil: N. America: American: Pre 1900: Item # 178360

Please refer to our stock # 1003 when inquiring.

Portraits On Main
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#5 Main St.
Cramerton, N.C. 28032
704-460-4899

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Folk Art Portrait by American Artist, attributed to Sheldon Peck (1797-1868). This Portrait was purchased at a North Carolina auction from the Larew Collection. The 19th century oil on canvas portrait of a gentleman was said to be Thomas Johnston from Concord, NC (Sept. 1850). It was marked on the original canvas (relined) bought in Davie County. It is mounted in a mahogany veneer frame with yellow pine backing. Canvas 29" 24" and the Frame is 38" x 33". The portrait was restored in 1973 by Henry Rood & Son @ 214 N. Cedar St. Greensboro, NC (retouch to nose and face). We have located the original restoration records and photos by Rood. We have found that the frame is original to the painting. Observe the color of the bow tie, it matches the wood grain color used by Peck. We feel that all of the above confirms this painting by Peck. To-date, we have matched twelve Peck characteristics in this portrait. Peck's non-academic style of art or folk art style has a unique quality in all of his paintings. This portrait seems to resemble Peck himself and could be a self-portrait of Peck himself!! The subject in this painting has very bright blue eyes and we hope this will help us identify him. The original frame matches the style used by Sheldon Peck in his works. Peck painted a simulated wood grain on the edges of some of his paintings (trompe l'oeil) to compete with the inexpensive daguerrotypes. Aparantly, the edges of this painting was painted with the trompe l'oeil trim: however, this trim was removed so it could be framed in its present frame. All four edges of this painting have approx. 1" of trim remaining on this canvas. In addition to this trim, I have completed a image overlay study of this painting and, I have found that it matches the photo of Sheldon Peck along with the paintings of his Mother, Father, and Brother. I present to you now one of the most American Paintings in the Country, as told to me by a fellow art collector. On the reverse of the painting there is a profile image of a man drawn and under the profile it is marked "painted by Thos. C. Johnston Sept. 1850. Concord, NC. Many profile images of this type have been painted on antique furniture in North Carolina. No records have been found on an artist named Johnston in the southeast. We have received information concerning two paintings listed on the Tennessee Portrait Project. On this site there are two photographs of Mr. and Mrs. William Bailey Trent. These are photos of original paintings listed in the book "Portraits in Tennessee before 1866". These two portraits in our opinion appear to be done by Sheldon Peck. I have checked further and found that Mr. Trent was born in Campbell County, Va on 5/11/1811 and died in Trentville, TN on 4/27/1886. Mrs. Trent was born in Rockingham County, NC on 4/18/1816 and died in Trentville, TN on 8/24/1892. They were married on 12/29/1833. Please notice the location of Mrs. Trents birthplace. This is southwest of Concord, NC which is about 30 miles away from Concord. I contacted the head of the museum in TN and he stated there were no records or files listed for Thomas C. Johnston. There are not any known Peck Paintings which were signed by Peck. Thomas C Johnston painted his name on Antique Furniture and on the reverse of Paintings in his possession. He did paint the head profile but he did not paint the painting itself. Please review this Lead new information and form your own opinion. I have files to cover my research and if you have questions, please advise. Chemical Analysis of the paint shows an average of 6 separate tests were Lead Pb 60%, Sulfur S 17.7%, Iron Fe 4%, Arsenic As 4%, Chlorine Cl 1.6%, and Calcium Ca 1.4%.