Signed at lower left "Albert L. Fischer", this is an unframed, sizable oil on canvas (46" by 27"), the scene almost mural-like: an apparently Italian lake (see the gondolier at right), framed by blooming wisteria dripping off a trellis at top and climbing a lattice at bottom, several boats plying the calm lake waters. I don't see a listing for the artist...

An impressive oil on canvas scene of a central Parisian square in the late 19th century, complete with fountains, horse drawn carriages, and figures, on a rainy day, 24" by 36" (31" by 43" framed), signed at lower left by the popular contemporary painter who signs as "G. SHERMAN". The scene is reminiscent of Caillebotte's famous scenes of Paris, or perhaps of a number of other impressionist artists who favored the always popular subject matter...

Oil on canvas laid on masonite, 20" by 30", unframed, signed at lower right by Italian artist R. J. Bertini, and dated 1902 (possibly 1912). The scene is an interior with a large hearth in the background, four men appearing as cavaliers or musketeers around a table, engaged in an animated conversation with an old woman, as a young shy woman looks on from the left corner...

Oil on masonite portrait of a classic man of Bavaria with his traditional hat and shirt, 15 1/2" by 14" (23 1/2" by 21 1/2" framed), signed at upper left corner and dated 47 by the well listed German artist ANDREAS MITTERFELLER (1912-1972). The artist created traditional horizontal format landscape works which appear frequently at auction in Germany, but I see only a very few portraits or genre works in the records...

Oil on paper, irregularly shaped, maximum dimensions approximately 10" by 16" and 2" wood frame, signed at lower left "S. CIEJKA". I do not see a listing for this name, which appears to be of Polish origin. The painting is in oil on paper. I think from the looks of it, a date around 1940 would not be out of line, but it is hard to tell. The colors remind me of that period, and it is obvious that the piece is not from the late 20th century...

Oil on canvas, 12" by 18" (15" by 21" as framed), the subject a subtly rendered impressionist scene of large trees by a wide river, with just scant human activity present in the form of a few figures in a tiny boat in the middle distance, and a structure on the far shore. Executed in a silvery, cool palette of grays, tans and greens, this is a typical work of the well listed Scottish artist ROBERT RUSSELL MACNEE (1880-1952)...

Oil on canvas of a square in Paris, larger size at 31 1/2" by 31 1/2", unframed, signed at lower right corner with what appears as "R. Ode". The painting likely dates to about 1960, judging from the clothing of the people in the image. I do not see a listing by this name but am continuing to research. Condition: the painting will need restoration...

Oil on canvas painting of a Parisian street as it would have looked during the "Belle Epoque" era around the turn of the century, 12" by 16" and 3" wide frame, unsigned. This impressionistic work is an original hand painted work, not a print or reproduction of any type. There is a signature that appears to read "Liotta" at lower right, rather hard to see. This is a decorative piece that should enhance any traditional interior setting...

By a listed Austrian-born California painter is this large oil on canvas, 34" by 40" (39" by 45" as framed), signed at lower left and dated there "40", the subject the classic, famous, and oft-painted historical Chateau de Chillon of Lord Byron fame, on the shores of Lake Geneva in western Switzerland. The Dents du Midi snow capped peaks rise in the distance, as swans ply the waters and fishermen in a boat at right complete the scene. This is a colorful painting by VICTOR H. NICKOL (1884-1956)...

Oil on canvas laid on board painting of small boats on a tree lined lake or river, buildings beyond, 9 1/2" by 11 1/4" in a contemporary simple frame 1 1/2" wide on a side, signed at lower right "C. Brockelmann" and dated there '13. This is a lovely, attractive, clean, pleasing work, ready for the wall despite being a century old, by the Austrian artist CAMILLO (CARL) BROCKELMANN (1883-1963)...

Oil on canvas painting of flowers in a vase in an interior space, 23 1/2" by 25 3/4", signed at lower right by German artist ROLF REGELE (1899-1987). Regele was a student of Rudolf Stolz, and he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He painted generally landscapes of the Tirol region of Austria and Italy, as well as still life. During the 1930's his paintings were often reproduced full size and on post cards. The artist settled in Bolzano in the Tyrolean Alps, in the border area of ...

Oil on canvas landscape with peat diggers, 16" by 20", 26" by 29 3/4" as framed, signed at the lower right in white "Marjoram". This is a fine work by the well listed, often auctioned Irish artist GERALD (Jerry or Gerry) MARJORAM, (1936-). Marjoram was born in Dublin and tutored by Maurice McGonigal and Sean Keating; by 1970 he was painting full time. Since then he has achieved considerably notoriety in Ireland, his works handled by fine galleries in Dublin and Galway; one of his largest oils...

Large unframed abstract oil or acrylic on canvas, 51" by 35", unframed, signed at lower right and dated there "74", **TOGETHER WITH A PENCIL SIGNED AND NUMBERED LITHOGRAPH PRINT**, both by the well listed French contemporary painter, author, printmaker and photographer, CLAUDE HILAIRE HASTAIRE (1946-). Hastaire, the son of the well known French modern painter Camille Hilaire, is the subject of many monographs, and his works have appeared in over 100 solo and group exhibitions, as well as numero...

Oil on canvas painting of a peaceful landscape in England, 24" by 16", and with newer frame 2" wide, signed at lower right corner by the well known and prolific English late nineteenth century landscape artist ABRAHAM HULK, Junior (1851-1922). The scene is a rural idyll, with a clouding-over sky threatening a storm, feathery trees, a cottage at center, English ancient country church, chickens and cows, a stream entering the scene from the lower left corner. This is rather typical subject matte...

Oil on canvas, 12" by 16", (19 1/2" by 23 1/2"), the scene a white stuccoed house among flowering vines and subtropical vegetation on a sunny Mediterranean coastline, as one would expect to find in Italy, the work signed at lower right with a signature appearing to be "C. Rontini" or similar. The work is purely decorative and likely dates to the 1960's or 1970's. There is dry paint in the sky area, with a fine craquelure pattern. Otherwise the painting

Oil on canvas,unframed, 18" by 22", signed at lower right by listed French- Italian modern and contemporary artist NINO GIUFFRIDA (1924-), the subject a pair of harlequins, one dressed in blue, the other in red, in a dreamy landscape with houses, trees, and a small beach on the sea, a point of land and trees on the far horizon. Giuffrida painted a wide range of subject matter, often in a distinctive whimsical style; these subjects include portraits (in the 1950's he painted the likes of Gina Lo...

Oil on canvas laid on canvasboard at a later date, (13" by 16 1/4" as framed), signed boldly at lower right in Greek "PIPIS XARALAMBIS" and dated there 1914. The artist does not appear to be well known but the painting is nicely executed, with an excellent luminosity. In my experience, vintage and antique Greek paintings are quite scarce. The tall cypress trees at left balance the distant temple ruins at right. More research might reveal more on the artist. A Greek speaker kindly read the s...

This painting is something of a mystery, in that it depicts a fantastic classic castle on a hill, obviously in the Old World, a donkey pulling a card in the foreground......yet, there is a modernity to the work, especially in the somewhat cubist handling of the lines of the architecture, but, also, there's modernity in the entire structure of the image. Painted on an old board, this measures 26" by 18" (30" by 22" in a modern frame). The painting is signed at lower right "M. Lieberman" and is ...

Oil on canvas painting of autumnal trees with a few houses in the composition at center, 12" by 16" (20 1/2" by 24 1/2" in newer frame), signed at lower right in red and dated 1933 or 1939 by Hungarian artist JANOS LASZLO ALDOR (1895-1944). As the images of the reverse labels show, the artist was apparently misidentified by previous owners, including the Brand Library in Glendale, California. Aldor painted landscapes of his native land, as well as often elegant portraits and nudes. At auction...

Oil on canvas painting of a fetching young woman resting next to what appears to be a drum, 21" by 12" (24" by 14" in wood frame), signed at lower right and again on the reverse (both name and "Firenze"--Florence---) by Italian artist CIPRIANO CEI (1864-1922). The subject looks coyly at the viewer, as she takes a break in her day. An interesting wall of advertising posts at upper left adds interest. Cei was born near Venice and died in Rome. A pupil of Luigi Norfini, he came to be known for ...

Oil on board, 18" by 30" (23" by 35" as framed), the scene at dockside in Venice, Italy, gondolas at the ready and figures walking the dock, sun-washed buildings in the background. The painting is signed, though awkwardly, at lower left "Arthur V. Diehl", leading me to think originally that this was by that noted American impressionist painter who died in 1929 (Diehl had created throughout his lifetime, from memory, mostly, Venice scenes, even though he had only visited there as a young man). ...

Oil painting of the front of a noted cafe, "La Bonne Entente", signed at lower right by artist "Vanet". This 8 1/4" by 10" (14 1/4" by 16 1/4" framed) work is by a Bulgarian woman artist by the name IVANKA PETROVA-TZEKOV, born 1956. She has been in France since 1983, painting colorful, figure-filled works of nightclubs and other scenes with multiple figures. She was a 1982 graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia. The artist's talents have been specially recognized by the Moulin Rouge n...

A circa mid 20th century oil on Masonite landscape painting of trees and a wide stream, 20" by 36" (25 1/2" by 31" framed), signed in Russian or possibly Ukrainian (or, Armenian?) at lower left. The work currently has a yellowish cast which appears to be nicotine from cigarette smoke. Were it to be cleaned the painting might well be totally a different color, but the yellowish "autumnal" tone seems to work on its own. Condition is very good with only a few light abrasions.

Oil on canvas painting of classic red highland cattle in an extensive landscape, signed at lower left "Louis B. Hurt" and titled in pencil on stretcher "on the cliffs as Malaige" (Mallaig) (on the southwestern coast of Scotland near Skye). The work measures 20" by 30" on the stretchers and 28" by 38" in heavy attractive late 20th century framing. On the stretcher is written in chalk "April 4 - 30". The stretcher also is stamped with an old Christie's reference number (117 FD) from their exte...

Oil on canvas painting of a young woman accompanied by a knight in a secluded landscape including a wall at left, 15" by 10" (arched top), 21 1/2" by 16 1/2" in modern day dark tasteful framing, signed at lower left center "TFaed". This could be an image of "Highland Mary" Campbell, to whom Scottish poet Robert Burns had a romantic attachment in the 1780's. I am standing behind this as a work of Scottish genre and history painter THOMAS FAED (1826-1900), although auction specialists in Scotlan...

Tender image of a young mother discretely nursing her baby, 25 1/4" by 22", (31 1/2" by 29" in attractive frame), signed at lower right by the Hungarian-born impressionist artist HUGO MATZENAUER (1923-2013). The painting appears to the casual eye to be in perfect condition, though a broad support band, essentially a patch, applied on reverse, shows that at one time there was evidently a tear in the middle through the baby's head and extending in a straight line or intermittently to the right edg...

A nicely worked painting of a lovely flamenca dancer in Spain, circa 1950's, 20 1/4" by 16 1/2" plus narrow frame, signed at lower right by listed artist CESAR VILOT. Vilot was active at mid century, and is known for his alluring paintings of females both nude and dressed, some painted in the style of Jean Gabriel Domergue. The painting has even soiling consistent with age, and a few minor abrasions, see at left below flounce of dress and to her right about 1/4 of the way down. Note the shadow...

Oil on canvas spring country landscape complete with peasant goose herder, two houses by a pond or small lake and flowering trees at right, 24" by 36", unframed, signed at lower left by listed Hungarian artist JOSEPH DANDE (1911-1969). Dande seems to have painted in the style pioneered by better known artist Laszlo Neogrady. Neogrady painted very similar spring country landscapes, as well as his signature snow-laden mid winter trees----and Dande has also painted those winter landscapes. I see...

Oil on canvas landscape of country cottages and feathery trees on the banks of a small pond or marsh, 9" by 12" (13" by 21" in its modern frame), signed at lower right "S. Clark", the subject given on the framing label as "On the Arun--Sussex". This is a painting by SAMUEL JOSEPH CLARK (1841-1928), a noted 19th century painter of rural landscapes and genre. Sometimes he is listed as Samuel JAMES Clark--there appears to be some confusion in the auction record. This piece, found in Maine, has su...

Found locally in Los Angeles, this is a large oil on canvas still life of orange and yellow garden nasturtiums in a blue and white old ceramic vessel, a ladies' fan and blue beads resting at its base, the colorful subjects placed elegantly in the neutral space of a cloth covered table and gray-white background, the work signed at lower right by the noted Spanish artist VICENTE SANTAOLARIA (1886-1967). The painting, which likely dates from circa the 1930's to about 1950, measures 25 1/2" by 32" ...

A twentieth century Italianate landscape painting in convincing Old Master style, unframed, impressively large at 23 3/4" by 47 3/4", signed at lower left by noted Old Master style painter TONI BORDIGNON (born 1921). Bordignon's mastery of the subject matter and techniques of masters of previous centuries has led to his decorative and popular paintings being offered at auctions in Europe and America. He has captured the feathery trees, the classical ruins, and, most impressively yet, even the...

Oil on canvas, 18" by 30" (20" by 32 1/2" framed), the subject a very English one----a peaceful summery millpond or riverside scene of low, forested hills and their feathery trees, a small peaceful settlement, and a total of six figures, three out in a rowboat for an outing, and three tiny people gathered in the village of thatch roofed buildings, engaged in conversation, beneath a pretty sky. The work is signed at lower left "Allan"; this being a common name, many listed British artists might ...

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. Overall, the painting is a most attractive Mid Century wor...

Oil on board painting of a farmstead in spring, 17 1/4" by 25", 21" by 28 1/2" framed, signed at lower left by the noted Swedish artist CARL MANSSON (1892-1976). Mansson was a prolific painter of country and farm scenes in southern Sweden. There does not seem to be a lot of biographical information available, but he left behind a body of work focusing on rural scenes of his native land. This example is quite typical of the country paintings, and it displays his evident affection for the land....

Large oil on heavy oak panel painting of an ornate cathedral interior, featuring the large organ, 35" by 29" (47" by 41" framed), titled on the reverse, dated there August 1916, and signed by the noted Czech painter FRANTISEK JELINEK (1890-1977). Jelinek's works have sold at auction in Europe, largely in the Czech Republic, where he is known as a painter of landscapes, nudes, and genre. It took me a while to figure out the name of the artist and the subject, and even the language (I thought th...

PAIR of oils on canvas, each 12 1/2" by 16", framed to 18 3/4" by 22" (although the frames are not quite identical), each signed by the listed French artist of Brittany, PIERRE TESTU. The scenes are quite charming, with atmospheric handling of the moist and foggy coastal air. Testu's biography is not established, it seems, but there are extant works dated as early as 1896 from what I can see, and he evidently specialized in such genre scenes of mussel, oyster, and other shellfish gatherers on ...