Oil on canvas still life of a small statuette of a horse and a copper vessel on a small table, 13" by 15" (14" by 16 1/2" as framed), signed at lower right "Virginia Weaver". I do not see a listing for the artist but evidently she was quite talented, as the perspective and flattening of the picture plane shows familiarity with modernist trends of the early 20th century...

A vintage still life oil painting of flowers in a white vase against a dark background space, 24" by 18", 32" by 25" as framed, signed at lower right by listed Southern California artist BERTHA TOWNSEND COLER (1865-1948). Coler was born in Ohio and studied with Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase in New York City...

Watercolor on paper, 10" by 14" (15" by 19" as framed), signed at lower left with the distinctive signature of California Scene artist JAKE LEE. This is an image of a vintage old house framed by mature trees, a few suggested figures in the foreground. Jake Lee's works are increasingly sought after by collectors in the wake of his relatively recent passing. This is a clean example in excellent condition...

Small gouache on paper painting of famous Mount Vesuvius volcano towering over Italy's Bay of Naples as it emits puffs of smoke, 6" by 8 3/8" inside the mat, 11 1/4" by 13 1/4" in inexpensive modern framing, unsigned. This is quite possibly or even likely a work of the artist Giuseppe Corelli (1858-1925); compare to another, signed work by that name in my shop...

For years, I have seen these gouache paintings of cockatoos, in the Art Deco style, circulating around Southern California, but I didn't know the identity of the artist, as there seemed to be no listing. Now, with his death in 2012, there is some information online. This drawing is 23" by 17" (28 1/2" by 22 1/2" framed), signed at lower left center in the image, by former child actor-turned artist BILLY SEAY (1922-2012). He was one of the biographers of Sascha Brastoff...

Richard Faralla american artist 1916-1996 1992 watercolor " The Great Mill Petaluma CA" 1992 Many original works by this artist are in the SF Museum of Modern art. Matted sight 7" by 4" matt 12" by 15"

Oil on board painting of the famous Matterhorn in Switzerland, two small wooden structures in the foreground and elegant trees at left completing the composition. The work is signed at lower right "M M Cole" and is dated there 1981. On the reverse of the frame is written "Miriam '81", so, we likely have an American woman as the artist. Measurements are 18" by 22" and 21 1/2" by 25 1/2" as framed...

A watercolor of a lighthouse on the Maine coast, 9" by 13" (15" by 19" in wood frame), signed at lower right by artist Donna Sabaka (1946-). On the reverse is written "The Nubble Light"/York/Cape Neddick, Me.". The artist signed again there and wrote "Kennebunkport, Me. 1986". The lighthouse is in the extreme southern portion of Maine, in the heavily visited coastal strip of that state---a large tourist draw in summer...

Oil on canvas painting of fruits, bottles and other objects, painted in a highly impressionist style, 12" by 16", unframed. The painting bears a signature "G d E" at lower right, added later (very obviously "floats"---dark under UV light) for French artist Georges d'Espagnat (1870-1950). So we have here a likely American painting, I think circa 1950's or so, that is very nicely done and quite decorative. There's very small paint loss at lower edge from past frame abrasion...

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"...

Colorful, heavily impressionistic acrylic painting with palette knife, the subject beached wooden boats in a sunny Mediterranean coastal landscape, signed at lower left by listed French artist PIERRE MAS (1933-). The work measures 11 1/4" by 27" as framed. Mas used copious amounts of wet-looking, lush paint, creating an interesting surface and texture. Colors are very complementary and harmonious, the turquoise particularly pleasing...

Watercolor on paper painting of the famous belfry towers and facade of the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square in New Orleans, Louisiana, possibly signed at lower right (illegible), 10 1/4" by 7 1/2" inside the mat, 16" by 10" framed, circa 1960's or 1970's I believe. The work is framed in an old, beveled dark oak quality frame that likely considerably pre-dates the art. When framed, someone wrote the title "St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans" on the mat below the image...

Oil on masonite painting of a small adobe structure in a landscape, 11" by 14" and narrow frame, signed in green at lower left corner "Clapp". The work is impressionistic, and the subject suggestive of New Mexico. I checked with an authority on the works of Canadian/California artist William Henry Clapp (1879-1954) to see if he thought this might be by that artist, which would enhance its value significantly. He did not believe the work to be by that artist, citing style and signature, and sa...

Oil on canvas still life painting in a very minimal modernist style, with lots of white background giving the painting a very contemporary, airy feel, 18" by 24", in strip frame, signed in pencil somewhat illegibly at lower right. The signature appears to start with "Sarah" or "Sarai", the last name likely beginning with a "T". Painting is in fine condition overall though I note several small smudges at lower center. Judging from the quality of this minimalist image I would think the artist t...

A watercolor on paper of people conversing and socializing in a square or city street, the sheet 15" by 11", the drawing 12 1/2" by 8 1/2" (22 1/2" by 18" in newish gold framing), the work indecipherably signed in red below the linen mat. The signature looks like "Arnold Balg(xxxxx)" or any number of variations of that, but to date I have been unable to tie this to a listed artist. The work came from the liquidated collection of eastern Pennsylvania theatre owner mogul Merton Shapiro (also of ...

A contemporary original watercolor painting dated 2009, the subject very much a fantasy summary of the Peruvian Andes----including whitewashed old colonial buildings and stone foot bridges, traditional garb, bowler-hat wearing women carrying their babies on their backs, and the quintessential llamas of the region. The work, measuring 9 1/2" by 13 1/2" (20" by 24" in interesting dark faux bamboo frame) is signed at lower right "E Garces '09/Cusco Peru". No doubt this piece came to the US in the...

Unsigned oil on canvas, circa 1970's or 1980's, unframed, 28" by 22", the subject a ceremonial dance mask and head wear such as might be seen in use in the course of special events on one of the reservations in Arizona or New Mexico. During the late 1980's I was at Zia Pueblo in New Mexico, and was privileged to watch one of these ceremonies. The work is colorful and includes many classic iconic symbols of the Southwest, such as the thunderbird, the snake, the saguaro cactus, tipi, and possibl...

A small, beautifully crafted oil on canvasboard landscape titled on reverse "Abandoned Farm Santa Clara River", dated June 1999, signed at lower right and again on the reverse, and with artist's business card affixed as well. The painting measures 8" by 10" and 11 1/2" by 13 1/2" in wood frame with liner. Condition is excellent. The artist was born in Pennsylvania and has been in Southern California for most of his life, with much of his subject matter taken from the Oxnard and Ventura area. ...