An ink on paper drawing of a man holding a cigarette, unsigned, 6 3/8 " by 5 3/4" inside the mat (12 1/2" by 10 1/2" simply framed). When I first saw this my thoughts drifted to accomplished ink line drawings by the American master artist Ben Shahn, or, possibly, German Expressionism (Georg Grosz, etc.). The drawing was found in Oregon, with no further information available. It probably dates to about 1950 give or take a few years, and is probably American...

An original drawing of a standing cowboy, executed on thin tracing-style paper, with estate stamp at lower right of noted Arizona artist CURTIS WINGATE (1926-1982). The drawing, 18" by 9" inside the current mat, is very sketchy, as if perhaps a very preliminary study for a finished watercolor or painting. Wingate was born in Dennison, Texas and spent most of his life in Arizona after moving there from California...

A beautiful pencil drawing of human hands, likely 19th century, measuring 4 1/2" by 5 1/2" inside the ornate French mat, 10 1/4" by 11 1/4" as framed in gilt closed corner framing. There is a little wear in the corners of the frame but the overall look with mat and frame is upscale...

A framed nicely worked crayon on paper drawing of roses (possibly, Alberta wild roses?), signed at lower right "M R 1944". The stiff wove paper sheet measures 15" by 11", and as framed (to the top of the arch), 22" by 17". The framing appears to be the 1940's original. I acquired the work locally here in Los Angeles some years back...

A fine, poetic ink drawing of figures, all in an extensive landscape, signed at lower right in pencil with what appears as "Lyberis-Abraham". The Biblical subject seems to be Abraham about to slay Isaac (note the weapon in Abraham's hands, about to swing into the victim). The artist is WILLIAM LYBERIS (1931-), born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and known for landscape, impressionist technique, interiors, and non-objective art. Lyberis spent a lot of time in Paris, absorbing the art resources there...

More than 10 detailed, fine pen and ink drawings, on one sheet measuring 19 3/4" by 16", most featuring male figures, signed at upper left center "Al Wiles". Wiles was active in the Seattle area at mid century. The style of the drawing takes from Jose Luis Cuevas, a little bit of Surrealism in spots from Salvador Dali, and Eugene Berman. The pen work is impressive up close...

This is a fine old drawing of an old-style wooden house with porch, an ancient old tree arching over the structure and two tiny figures at left. The drawing on paper, laid on a board, measures 14" by 9 1/2" inside the mat and 19" by 14 1/2" as framed. There does not appear to be a signature anywhere, but considering the quality of the imagery we must conclude that the artist was trained and listed. Found in Riverside, California, with Santa Barbara framer's sticker on the backing...

A 9 1/8" by 6 7/8" crayon on paper drawing, (24 1/2" by 20 3/4" as presently framed), signed at lower left in pencil "M. Hoff" and on the backing is written apparently in artist's handwriting "MARGO HOFF/THREE ROOFS/CRAYON DRAWING". Margo Hoff was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1910. By 1934 she was in Chicago where she received training at the Art Institute. Before the war she was able to travel extensively in Europe...

A very antique unsigned red chalk drawing on laid paper, late 17th or early 18th century, measuring 9 7/8" by 7 1/2" (25 cm. by 19 cm.), 15 1/2" by 12 1/2" as framed, proclaimed at bottom in neat professional hand lettering, on the mat, to be by the Italian master Guercino (1592-1666). The old master drawings expert of a major auction house did not believe this to be by Guercino, and suggested Lanfranco or Albani as possible directions to pursue...

A skilled pencil drawing of decorative towers of a church or mosque complex, next to a river, apparently in a milder climate location (see palm trees), signed at lower right "STOLZE". The towers, which somewhat resemble those fantasy towers of St. Basil's in Moscow, seem to be part of a mosque complex, as tiny crescent moons appear to be affixed at the tops of the towers...

A beautiful drawing of the year 1878, featuring a number of women and a solitary man, most apparently gossiping at a picnic or other outdoor social meeting in a wooded setting, the place given as "Lake George". The famous upstate lake features in many an American painting of the period, and it was frequented by many notable artists of the time...

A fine Old Master drawing in pencil and red chalk on laid paper, measuring 6" by 3 3/4" inside the mat (16 1/4" by 14 1/2" in modern day framing), unsigned, but with accompanying information, a circa 1970 typed label, proclaiming this to be "Lady with Jug", and by listed English late 18th century/early 19th century artist PRINCE HOARE II (1755-1834). There is also nearby an "18 Gns" price (18 Guineas). A self portrait by Hoare hammered at Sotheby's New York in 2015 for $16,000. Hoare's work s...

A very old watercolor painting of a barefoot young man with traditional clothing and conical hat, unframed, 7" by 3", unsigned, dating to the mid 19th century. It could be by a local artist of the China Trade School, or perhaps by one of the rare expatriate artists who visited the region, on the order of George Chinnery. Without a signature we cannot be sure of its authorship, but it is clearly antique. It has some flaws to go with its great age, including an old brown stain in the hat and ei...

A large felt tip marker drawing of a fetching nude woman pictured against a patterned background, 29" by 19 1/2" inside the linen liner, signed at lower right and dated there 1960 by the noted Romanian-born American film director, and talented artist, JEAN NEGULESCO (1900-1993). The line drawing (in the style for which Negulesco is known) has the feeling of Matisse. The drawing was part of the extensive collection of famous West Coast interior designer TONY DUQUETTE (1914-1999), and was sold a...

An antique soft pencil drawing of a young woman, unsigned and unattributed, 9 3/4" by 7 1/2", likely dating to the very early 19th century at latest, and more likely, well into the 18th century. The drawing would probably be of French origin. The paper has been affixed long ago to a thin card. Condition is excellent. The number "17" in old hand appears at lower right corner. Simple strip frame is of inlaid wood and is attractive.

Signed charcoal drawing of a nude female seen in profile, arms over her head, an unreadable signature at lower right. The work measures 12" by 8 3/4" inside the mat and 20" by 16" simply framed. I opened the backing and other than a few numbers in pencil there is no other information. At some point there was a little moisture exposure at the bottom. This affected just the thin white card upon which the sheet of brownish paper was at some point laid, and not the drawing itself, although ther...

A fine soft pencil drawing of a young Asian man with white head cloth, inscribed at lower left "JAIRONG Boy from drawing by Graham Peck", and signed at lower right by well listed California artist JADE FON (WOO) 1911-1983. Graham Peck (1914-) was a Yale-educated, Derby, Connecticut illustrator and writer; he illustrated and wrote "Through China's Wall" in 1940. Fon has created a sensitive portrait of an individual which the "Jairong" word and Peck's biography suggests was from eastern Tibet/so...

An antique red chalk European drawing on laid paper, sheet 8 1/4" by 6 3/4" (15 3/4" by 12" in 20th century frame), unsigned, the subject an aristocratic woman formally dressed, with upswept hair of the period. One wonders if this might be Marie Antoinette herself, or someone else who might have been caught up in the 1789 storming of the Bastille and the infamous Reign of Terror. There is a watermark in the old paper. Taped at top edge only. The drawing could also be German, or Austrian, or ...

A fine drawing (10 1/2" by 15 1/4" inside the present mat, 18" by 21 1/2" as framed (no glass) by the well listed Czech artist MAX SVABINSKY (1873-1962), featuring cloud formations and a sliver of land below. The artist signed at lower right and dated the work 1949. The medium appears to be charcoal or soft pencil on paper, with a bit of brown color included. A Svabinsky oil painting sold for over $300,000 at auction in the Czech Republic in 2016. He is known as a a painter and also for his g...

This is a charcoal with white highlights fine original drawing of a male head on a plinth, the head appearing as would a Greek or Roman marble sculpture. The work, 16 1/4" by 12" (22" by 18" framed), is signed at bottom by the Austrian artist RUDOLF ZELENKA (1875-1938) and is dated nearby 1894. The drawing would likely be an academic study by the artist at age 19, while receiving art education. Note the fine modeling of the face and curls----a very finished drawing reflecting the skill of the...

An antique, classical, academic red chalk drawing of the head and neck of a young male, 19 3/4" by 15 1/4" (25" by 20 1/2" framed), unsigned. The circa 18th century drawing is quite beautiful and Neo-Classical, after the sculpture of ancient Greece and Italy. The gold frame does have some losses.

By the important Austrian twentieth century illustrator, draftsman, art critic, stage designer and author KURT MOLDOVAN (1918-1977), this is an original ink drawing on paper, 10 1/2" by 8 1/4", unframed, signed at lower right and dated Sept. 56. The subject is a lobster or similar crustacean at right, and at left another creature with a dinosaur-like head appears to be clutching a banana-shaped object. Moldovan was born in Vienna and died there before age 60. He is considered one of the count...

An original black ink drawing of a Native American Indian stalking a herd of bison. He hides behind a bush, his bow resting behind him, his fringed arrow quiver at the ready. The drawing is nearly square, at 9 1/2" by 9 1/4" (14 1/4" by 14 1/4" in black simple framing). There is a Reno, Nevada framer's label remaining on the backing, but no other information. I have been unable to match the name to a listed artist. Allow for reflections in a few images.

A PAIR of drawings of the famous Hagia Sophia Mosque and environs of the Golden Horn as seen from the Bosphorus in moonlight, in Istanbul, Turkey, each 5 3/4" by 9 1/4" (11" by 14 1/4" identically framed), one signed in white ink at lower right corner "P. (or "G") Azaroff" and dated there 1925. The atmospheric handling, including contrasty light, demonstrates the skill of the artist. Strangely I do not see a listed artist by this name, though the works, always in charcoal/pastel, seem to feat...

Very old small pencil drawing of a town scene, 3 1/2" by 3 5/8" (11 1/2" by 10" framed), unsigned, and the artist and origin unknown. It is simply an antique drawing. Someone thought enough of it to have a hand-drawn ornate mat on gray-blue paper. A church tower appears at center and a tree at left, and two tiny figures at lower right. There is a mysterious red circle stamped on the reverse; difficult to say if it may be a collector's stamp.

A drawing, pencil with touches of yellow, lilac and even possibly blue, signed at lower right by one of Hungary's most important artists of the twentieth century, CZOBEL BELA (1883-1976). The subject, judging from other drawings by the artist, could well be a garden, perhaps his garden in Szentendre. The sheet measures 12" by 11 1/2" inside the mat and the entire sheet is 13 1/2" by 12". The artist, of Hungarian-Jewish heritage, was a student of Bela Ivanyi Grunwald. In 1902-3 he studied art...

Original drawing in ink and gold paint on white paper, 6 1/2" by 6" (18 1/2" by 16" in tasteful silver leaf framing, with Plexiglas), signed at lower right and dated at lower left 10 V 93 by the noted American graphic artist and painter JAYME ODGERS (1939-). The image appears to be of an abstracted face. Odgers was instrumental in the late 1970's revamping of California design. He was involved in creating poster images for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Na...

A PAIR of ink on paper drawings, one of a young woman reclining, (7 1/2" by 10") the other a young boy seated cross-legged (8 1/2" by 6 1/2"), both signed by the noted American actor, accomplished artist and writer/novelist, PETER MARK RICHMAN (1927-). One is dated 1966, the other inscribed "For Al". Richman, now 90 years old, has an extensive biography, all visible online. Born in Philadelphia, by the mid 1950's he was already acting and shortly thereafter was shuttling between the coasts, w...

Fine early pencil drawing on wove paper, the subject a distant view of Windsor Castle and the Thames River (favorite subject of so many, many artists), signed at lower right "James M. Hart" and dated there 1855. This is a rather early work of JAMES MACDOUGAL HART (1828-1901) of later Hudson River School fame. Hart's major large scale landscape paintings have reached into six figures at auction, and sales in the tens of thousands are not unusual. The artist was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland and...

A pencil drawing of a nude with head resting on her knee, 7 1/2" by 7" (17 1/4" by 16 1/2" as framed), by the important Bulgarian-born Jewish artist, JULES PASCIN (1885-1930). This drawing has an illustrious provenance, and the artist himself led a fascinating, yet tragic life, making this seemingly simple slip of paper a most interesting ambassador of art history. On the reverse side we see labels of prestigious galleries such as Kennedy Galleries, New York; Dorothy Blau Gallery, South Florid...

A refined old drawing titled "Caterskill Clove" dated Oct. 7, 1859, the subject a famed rocky gorge in the eastern part of the Catskill mountains of New York State (google "Catskill Clove" for full information on this renowned scenic area). The work is apparently unsigned. There are any number of listed artists of the Hudson River School who could have created the drawing; Sanford Robinson Gifford, William Hart, Asher Durand and many others of note painted in the area. There are some fox mark...

A simple yet elegant sepia brown ink portrait drawing of a woman, on paper laid on card, measuring 9" by 6 1/4", unframed, signed at lower center and dated 1921. The work is signed nearby by important Mexican artist ANGEL ZARRAGA (1886-1946), and is inscribed "Bonne annee a Madame Maria Steiner et aux sieus". On reverse is written in later, American hand, "Portrait of Marie Steiner Lintott by Angel Zarraga Paris 1921". Zarraga was an important Mexican modernist, works of whom have exceeded $7...

Crayon on paper drawing of red tulips in a glass vase, 14 3/4" by 10 3/4" (18 1/2" by 14" in simple wood strip frame), signed at lower right with monogram or conjoined initials, and dated there 4-5-83. Something about the work reminds of David Hockney, but this artist is unidentified. I believe it is of European origin but cannot be certain of that. There is some writing in pencil on the reverse, possibly in a foreign language, but it is hard to decipher. The paper is a creamy ivory and has ...

Ink drawing on paper laid on board, measuring 14" by 15", and 21 1/2" by 22 1/2" as simply framed, depicting the famous and traditional Mummers Day parade held annually in November in Philadelphia. The work is signed with initials "F B" at lower right, and there is an old label from the N.W. Ayer advertising agency affixed to the reverse, with the notation of a delivery date of November 25, 1952. "Philadelphia Co." is also written on the label, and there is a possible name at upper edge of l...

Small (3" by 3") unsigned ink drawing on blue paper (6 3/4" by 5 3/4" as framed), the subject a female figure leaning, an old German script label strip on backing giving the title as "Blumenmarkt in Amsterdam", "Olstudie von Hans Herrmann" ("oil study by Hans Herrmann"----the discrepancy perhaps explained by the label being originally intended for another work by this artist). This is likely a preparatory study by HANS HERRMANN (1858-1942), a German artist who studied for a time with Max Liebe...

Pastel on paper drawing of two female figures in black, possibly a mother and her daughter, 23 1/2" by 17 1/2", and narrow frame. I do not see a signature or date, though I believe the paper is likely from the 20th century. The drawing has not been properly framed (no mat) so there has been some contact with the glass. Also as the reverse washboard style rippling shows, there has been past moisture exposure which has caused deterioration of the paper's lower inches, and past exposure to a cor...