Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art: Folk Art (96)

From Lancaster, PA.; each with the birth date and age of the sitter; strong attribution to Jacob Eichholtz based on style and area found; sight size 14" by 10"

A large and exceptional example of fine American tinsel or foil painting featuring a pair of pheasants on branches, surrounded by a wreath of flowers. The scene has the rare "snowflake" type of background. Although tinsel painting was at its height in America from 1850 to 1890 the snowflake technique appears to have been done primarily in the 1870's period.

The sight size is 19 5/8" by 15 3/4", with a framed size of 23 1/4" by 19 1/4"...

In addition to being a wonderful piece of American folk art, this watercolor and pen and ink on paper gives some good insight into one of the courting customs of the 18th and 19th centuries...

One of the largest and best tinsel paintings we have seen, depicting a large urn of various flowers, with other blooms scattered about; original frame; 28" by 24"

Most tinsel paintings have suffered a fair amount of paint lifting or loss, whereas this example only has a few spots of very minor age loss in a couple of small areas in the white background, making the overall condition excellent

A fine oil on board of Isaac Henderson, attributed to Giddings Hyde Ballou. Ballou was a highly regarded itinerant painter, born in CT, who did a good portion of his work in the Cape Cod area. Documentation relating to his work is provided with this painting.

Sight size 15" by 12"

A beautifully rendered watercolor and pencil portrait of a woman done by Jane Anthony Davis, more commonly known as J.A. Davis. The sitter, as was usual with Davis' portraits, is dressed in black, with color being reserved for decorative objects, such as books, flowers, or jewelry, as in this case. What is highly unusual is that Davis signed very few of her works, and on this piece, on the cardboard insert behind the painting, is written "Caroline Mathilda Brown Wife of Nicholas Brown"...

A wonderful PA or New England document box inlaid with various woods and elaborately painted with stars, squares, circles, etc. All original, including surface; truly minor nicks and wear; 12" by 7" by 4 1/4".

This actual box is illustrated in the book "19th Century Wooden Boxes", by Arene Burgess

From the latter half of the 19th century, this beautifully proportioned iron vane graced the spire of the United Baptist Church in Ellsworth, Maine. In 1933, a major fire swept through the town, burning many of the buildings, including the church. When the church was finally rebuilt, the council wanted a more modern look, and stored the vane in the basement, where it remained for the next 70 years or so...

A fine oil on canvas portrait of a young woman in a brown dress and blue lace trimmed hat, with a column and red drape behind her. Stylistically, this would be from the Philadelphia School. Sight size is 30" by 24 1/2" and the overall size is 35 1/4" by 30". The portrait is in its original gilded frame, which is in very fine shape, with the normal minor nicks. The stretcher also appears to be original...

This is a rare and striking folk art example of a tinsel or foil painting. The vast majority of tinsel paintings are of flowers, but this one, as does item a1175, focuses instead on fruit. This particular gem shows a rose colored glass compote with plums, cherries, strawberries, pear, etc. Colors are deep and very vibrant, and include blues, purple, orange, yellow, greens, etc...

This is an absolutely charming American folk art painting depicting an idyllic country scene. The work, done in oil on academy board, shows a woman with a sleeping child in the foreground, while in the central distance can be seen a group of building, above which are a richly colored sky and clouds. On the right is a small waterfall with a shepherd surrounded by sheep. The trees and foliage throughout the painting are limned in a whimsical folky style...

An extremely nice tinsel, or foil, painting, showing a pearlescent urn overflowing with a wide variety of flowers, with a fallen rose bud at the base of the urn.

Housed in a period and probably original frame, measuring 17" by 13 1/4", the painting itself is 12" by 8 1/2". The condition of this gem is excellent.

Tinsel paintings of this type are almost a completely American form, becoming highly popular around 1870, and continuing into the mid 20th century...

A reverse painted tinsel painting, unusual for its combination of geometric and floral elements, and for its forceful colors; period gilded frame; sight size 9 1/2" by 7 1/2"; framed size 12 1/2" by 10 5/8"

An exceptional American gameboard with a red wash and black painted decoration; compartments at each end for the game pieces; construction is pine with breadboarded ends and wrought nails; condition is excellent with all original surface; one small portion of a breadboarded end has been replaced at some point long ago; 30" by 17 3/4"

Boards of this type (non 8 x 8 squares) are often commonly and mistakenly called checkerboards...

Two sided pine game board with strong graphics and vibrant colors, displaying an unusual variant of the common structure of parcheesi. A checkers board is on the reverse side.

All original paint, original metal corners, overall excellent condition with a minor scratch on one side, and a wood chip in the top right on the reverse side. 23" by 23"

This is a small and charming child's gameboard, measuring 13 3/4" long by 10 3/4" wide by 3/4" thick. It was found in Vermont, and most likely originated there. It is made of maple, with bread-boarded ends, affixed with square nails. The dry paint surface, with its red and black checkerboard, outlined with green stripes, is in superb condition, with no overpainting or areas of loss. The wood itself is in excellent shape, with 2 minor age cracks, and a knothole in the back which fell out...

A wonderful and rare southern folk art small watercolor on paper portrait of a gentleman, identified as Mr. Bunning on the reverse, along with the date of 1824. Examples of southern folk art are quite uncommon and highly sought after...

This is a superb example of the hooked rug pattern generally attributed to E.S. Frost & Company. Although Frost did have a lion pattern, it was substantially different and less complex than the Lion and Palm pattern designed by Ebenezer Ross, which is the one offered here. This particular rug is also done in a beautiful and uncommon combination of colors. Notice the striped motif along the bottom, mirroring a tiger or zebra pattern.

It measures approximately 61 1/2 inches by 33 inches, and i...