Showing the whimsy that exemplifies good American folk art, this watercolor double portrait depicts a young man and woman who are clearly siblings. The artist achieved a starkness by having them in black clothing and not accentuating the details of their garb. In fact, the basic touches of color are only the blue in the girl's eyes and in the sky against which they are posed. Note that neither sitter is gazing directly at the viewer, nor are they looking in the same direction...

Antique basket of splint wood, with handle, small size, artfully crafted, American, 19th century, in wonderful condition, one of the finest we have seen in a long time. Measures roughly 5 1/2" wide, deep and high. The craftsmanship is extraordinary, the width of the splints are tapered, and the section running across the bottom has wider sections for strength, the handle is smooth and well curved, and the wrapping around the handle is very artful as well, For contrast there are darker woven s...

These darling 2 1/2" tall Koala bears are antique velvet. They have some kind of metal buttons for eyes and noses. Their little paws wrap around the real nut shells. They have old red ribbons around their necks. The ribbons are old but may not be original. The velvet has lost some of the pile but it is not noticeable with the foundation fabric being the same color. They are a little bit soft with an inner core of wood so they sit nicely. You can tell they are best friends. Circa 1890

This is quite the scrap book. The back and front are cloth covered in blue and white calico. The pages are also cloth with stitching around all the edges. The trade and advertising cards are glued down on both sides of the fabric. The pages are bound together by three holes and each page and tied with a yellow ribbon. There are 11 pages, 22 sides, and one 1/2 page that is original and not cut but just a 1/2 page with cards on both sides...

A desirable circa 1830 American tin "tole" box with charming original stenciling of leaf motif on the front, 8 1/2" by 6" by 6", in a rare pink-salmon color. Most of these of course classic folk art pieces are black background with floral motifs painted thereon, in red/green (roses etc.) and some yellow. This color is just spectacular. I'm not a toleware specialist by any means but cannot recall seeing a tinware American box of this color...

This is a charmingly rendered watercolor on paper portrait of an attractive little girl, leaning against a hillock of red flowers amidst green foliage. The artist has chosen to omit details in the background, and, instead, draws the viewer's focus to the subject by limning her dress in a bright blue, and having her hold several flowers in her hand. The work possesses a whimsy and naivete that brings a smile to one's face, as good folk art often does...

A fine and charming watercolor on paper portrait of a mother and daughter, the daughter with a book and an apple. Sight size is 5 3/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches, while the framed size is 9 5/8 inches by 8 inches.

The portrait is in excellent condition, although the photos exaggerate some very minor toning. The bird's eye maple frame, which is not new and might be original, is also in excellent condition.

A black cloth doll with lots of assets. This doll has a very nice embroidered face, the clothes are fabulous, (including pantaloons, petticoat, skirt blouse,apron, lace shawl), her hair is deerskin hide, her socks are hand made with a different color yarn on the sole to make it look like a shoes and she is 20" tall. She is firmly stuffed with cotton. She sits but resists a little so she would sit on an upholstered chair but would tend to slip on a wooden surface...

A charming tinsel (foil) painting depicting a variety of flowers in an urn placed on a stone slab. Dating from the last half of the 19th century, the painted frame, worth a bit of money on its own, is likely earlier, with a wood backboard The painting is in fine condition, with only some very small minor speckles in the black background. The frame could use a little spiffing up. Sight size is 9 1/2" by 13 1/2", and the framed size is 13 1/4" by 17 1/8".

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 fine old charmingly naive watercolor drawing of a boy dressed almost as a girl, in the style of the times, titled in pencil at bottom "William John Babb March 1834". This work appears to be in its original weathered old frame, the original surface beautifully alligatored. Measuring 7 1.2" by 5 1/2" (10" by 8" including frame), the drawing is perfect for the small wall. Colors are perhaps a little faded after nearly 200 years...

A wonderful and amusing hooked rug depicting an aardvark. I have collected many rugs featuring animals but have never seen another with an aardvark. Well, at least I think this is someone's interpretation of an aardvark, or possibly a beaver, armadillo or pangolin. Whatever the craftsman was aiming for, one has to smile at this, and at the pinkish salmon background color surrounded by a scalloped teal border. Cotton yarn and with original burlap foundation.

The size is 43" by 30 1/2"...

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...

These little handmade Civil War era dolls are some of my favorite. This one has on a heavy satin dress with a brown egg wash chintz cotton petticoat. she has a net bonnet adorned with a white ribbon over real hair. She is wearing the tiniest metal eye glasses I have ever seen. She has little rolled arms and a stump body that never had legs. Her dress is melting a bit above her waist and there is a crack in the nut shell but an old one and it is hard to see because she is so small. She is 8" tal...

Folk Art Duck Decoy hand carved from wood with yellow eye created from a thumb tack, 19th century. The bird is painted black with white highlights and a grey bill. It has a leather strap on the base for pulling the decoy in the water.
CONDITION: signs of wear on leather and on the base of the decoy, as well as paint chip on the bill, hole behind the strap. The yellow thumb tack is probably a later replacement.
MEASUREMENTS: Total length: 14 ¾ inches.
All our artifacts...

A watercolor on paper of a little girl, holding a basket and flowers, in front of a group of buildings. Found in Lancaster, PA, and supposedly a painting of structures that still exist. Dated february, 1845.

Some minor creasing and spotting, which are much less obtrusive in person than in the photos.

A charming oil on cardboard American folk art painting of a white clapboard house with a red porch, set amidst trees and greenery. Overall very fine condition with some truly minor scuffs. The gilt frame is period. Sight size is 16 inches by 12 inches.

An extremely folky and graphically strong hooked rug with vibrant colors, initialled KP and dated 1898;some minor and invisible museum quality restoration was done, and the rug was then mounted on acid free cloth and frame; a nice large size of 56" by 27"