This is a beautifully executed work in charcoal, 18" by 15" (19" by 16" as framed), the subject a young girl, staring out at the viewer, likely wearing her school uniform, circa 1930's or 1940's, I am thinking. Unfortunately there is no signature. When I first saw this I thought it possible it might be by a Taos and Santa Fe master.......and I held on to it for many years, thinking I could run into another work that would unlock the mystery...

European watercolor landscape painting on paper laid on thin card, unsigned, 4 1/2" by 6 1/2" inside the mat opening, 10 3/4" by 13" as framed in black modern frame with gold color piping, titled on the reverse of the card "Hedelburg [Heidelberg, Germany] Aug. 1st 1877". This is a carefully executed 19th century watercolor showing the bridge across the Neckar River, tiny figures and boats in the foreground, steep terrain in the distance illustrating the dramatic scenery of the setting...

Offered together as a pair, as they were acquired, small oil paintings of landscapes of Australia, by listed artist BERTRAM BRYNING (1875-1960)...

Unusual bronze figure of Mandarin, mounted, 19th Century, rare collector's item, good weight/condition, base shows wear Size: H. 19cm x W. 7cm x D. 19cm

Oil on canvas painting of a desert landscape, 18" by 24" (27" by 34" framed), signed at lower right by the listed California painter AILEEN POWERS STEPHENS (1889-1982). The artist also dedicated it to her daughter Helen, in July 1978, on the occasion of the latter's birthday, in an inscription on the reverse. Stephens was born in Kansas into an artistic family. She was related to the important 19th century American sculptor Hiram Powers...

A very appealing small forest interior painting on board, 9" by 11" (12" by 14" in modern day gold framing), unsigned on front but on reverse in old hand is written (difficult to decipher) "near XXX farm Hampstead Heath/Oct. 3 1908 5 PM/P. P. (XXXX)". The word after P.P. is the last name of the artist but it has defied my efforts to make it out. The scene is painted in luminous tan colors with light grayish green and cream here and there, all in a very impressionistic blond to silvery light...

A harness horse racing print, with fine hand coloring, after the painting by noted English artist WILLIAM J. SHAYER (1811-1892), engraved by James R. Markell (1814-1866), featuring a great horse in his day, Lord William. The horse is described in the title area as the property of Samuel Lawrence Esq...

An interesting contemporary painting of a middle-aged man sitting on a stool in a homey, cozy interior, a fireplace, paned window and painting set off by orange pastel colored walls. The unsigned work, by a trained hand, reminds of some of the interior paintings with figures by David Hockney. The oil on canvas, unframed, measures 30" by 24". It is in excellent condition. A silvery, or simple blond wood strip frame might be complementary.

A circa turn of the century oil on canvas painting of a creek and surrounding woods in the autumn of the year, 11 1/2" by 22 1/2", on canvas, and 17 1/2" by 29" in likely original frame, apparently unsigned. The work has survived over a century in excellent condition. No punctures or problems. There are a few chips missing from the frame. A pleasing, easy to live with scene that brings a sense of calm and reflection.

Oil on masonite panel painting of a Texas landscape with oaks and bluebonnet in the spring, 16" by 20", unframed, signed at lower left by artist Nancy McDonald. According to the daughter of the artist, Nancy's paintings were sold in the San Antonio area. She belonged to the River Art Group for many years. McDonald passed away in 2011. The painting is attractive and squarely within the "Bluebonnet School" tradition of Texas art...

Oil on canvas landscape of a snowy peak towering above lower mountains, a lone figure in a row boat at lower right in the lake, signed at lower right "Wm. Rennison" or similar. The early 20th century work measures 14" by 24" (17 3/4" by 28" in modern-day antique style framing). The work reminds of the Hudson River School. If I am reading the name correctly, I am not able to locate a listed artist by that name...

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...

For the den or man cave of the fly fisherman, here is a rustic painting on plywood panel of a trout leaping to catch what appears to be a large yellow moth or butterfly flitting just above the water's surface. The painting is actually titled "Butterfly" at bottom center. At right corner is the name of the artist, W. L...

Gouache on board painting, 10" by 16" image with 1" margins, unframed, signed at lower left by well-listed, often-auctioned California artist HARRY CASSIE BEST (1863-1936), the work featuring an unusual subject for the artist, an Italian scene---the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius in the distance. I do no see any information regarding Best having made any trips to Italy, so this could be a work resulting from the artist's having seen prints or original works depicting the famous Italian vista. Hughe...

A really nicely done watercolor on heavy watercolor paper, the subject a New York Central Park view, the artist evidently looking south across a lake towards the famous San Remo Apartments residential building with its distinctive towers. Signed at lower right in Asian (Chinese?) characters and with red artist seal there, also signed and stamped again on the reverse side, where it is titled "Evening at Central Park #13" and dated March 31, 2008. The watercolor is of high quality and obviously ...

Jessie Buchanan Outsider art painting on panel "B" for benign or bump . Painted c 2003 on cigar box top panel framed signed JB overall size just over 15" by 13" frame.

Pastel on paper drawing of a blonde, very Nordic-looking woman, 17 1/2" by 13 1/2" (25 1/2" by 21 1/2" as framed), signed at lower left Ruth Sammons. I cannot find any information on the artist but she was surely talented. The drawing is very strong and in excellent, fresh condition, and it is very nicely framed with a burl wood type frame and quality matting. The only "Sammons" that comes to mind as a listed artist is Carl Sammons, the California plein air landscapist; I speculate, and it is...

An oil on canvas painting of a clipper in full sail on the high seas, 16" by 20" (19 3/4" by 23 3/4" framed), signed at lower right in red by artist PAUL MASON and dated there with what appears as 1936. The work features attractive impressionist technique and colors. A search for information on the artist was not productive. There is a framer's label from Boston's Beacon Hill area, so we can likely assume that the artist was a New Englander. The surface is dry and there are some tiny losses ...