This is an apparently very early work in sanguine chalk (8 1/2" by 11", unframed, affixed at top edge behind an old mat) by the well listed Chicago-born artist WALTER KAMYS (1917-), now known for his modernist paintings executed in an "abstract impressionist" style. Kamys went to Central America and Mexico at a young age in 1942, there becoming friendly with the important English surrealist Gordon Onslow Ford. This proved to be crucial to the evolution of Kamys' mature style...

Irving Amen's works are most commonly prints, as he is considered a master print maker in woodblock, etching, lithography and silk screen; this example appears to be etching or etching with aquatint. He also executed oils and acrylics in the course of a long career. This work, titled at lower left in pencil "Love & Peace" and numbered there 31/200 examples, is signed in pencil at lower right. The print measures 20 1/4" by 14 3/4" inside the mat (32" by 23" as framed)...

Large oil on canvas, 52 1/2" by 37", unframed, the name "SERGEI BORISOV" on the canvas overlap, the subject a scene of Cold War era Russia. There is much going on in the image, which is an idealized urban, industrial landscape. The Russian is difficult to translate (I have been helped by a friend who reads Russian), even to a Russian speaker/reader, but the gist of what is being said is that the proletariat and workers must prevail all together to work for the Communist ideal...

Oil on masonite still life painting, 24" by 18" (33" by 26" framed), signed at lower left by California artist CLARETTA ELLIS WHITE (c. 1915-2002). This is a briskly painted work by an artist who was quite active in the Southern California art scene at mid century. An unusually detailed and complete website, evidently created by relatives, gives a complete history of her active life. The artist was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma into a cultured family...

Pencil signed color print, 1992, issued by Greenwich Workshop, numbered also in pencil 15856/48000, by the noted contemporary American western artist BEV DOOLITTLE (1947-). The print is titled "Eagle Heart" and shows a Native American Indian chief on a white horse in a carefully arranged late autumn landscape, the snow patches on the rocks, in shadow, shown as an electric blue color, the central subject standing out dramatically...

A photographic print, apparently printed in Italy, featuring Harry Jackson's important sculpture of John Wayne on a horse, autographed and then dedicated "For my good friend Mert/All the best to you/Your friend/Harry/June 10, 1991/Cody Wyoming". HARRY JACKSON (1924-2011) was a western American artist for many decades, best known for his sculptures, some large or life-size, featuring cowboys, horses and indians...

Old impressionist oil on canvas laid on wood board painting of a typical Dutch scene with windmills, boats, and a waterway, 9" by 11 1/4" (13 1/2" by 15 3/4" in 20th century frame). There does appear to be a signature at lower left but despite my best efforts I am unable to determine that name...

This is an original Currier and Ives lithograph print, frame opening 10" by 8" (total frame 14 1/2" by 12 1/2"), titled "Little Snowbird", from the 1860's, in a nineteenth century typical American walnut frame with gilt fillet. Unfortunately, this very old print has been damaged over the years, and it is now severely torn at top. The title portion and "Currier and Ives" are folded under, as are side portions. Therefore, the principal value of this item is the frame, and the print is a bonus...

Oil on board, (ONE OF TWO BY THE ARTIST IN MY SHOP), 4" by 7 1/2" inside the mat (7 1/2" by 11 1/4" as framed) signed at lower left in green "Six" and dated there "32", the subject the iconic saguaro cactus of the southwestern American desert at sunset. Because that species of cactus grows naturally only in Arizona, we can assume that this is indeed an Arizona scene...

Pencil drawing on paper, 4 1/4" square inside the mat, 9 1/4" by 9 1/4" as framed, signed at lower right "Luce", the subject an elderly man at left and elderly woman at right, both reading a letter or periodical. The paper is browned with age, though, evenly, and there's a small crown-shaped stain that looks like an ink blot, irregularly shaped, at lower right. The work is affixed to a board on which is written in old hand "No. 20"...

Oil on canvasboard, 14" by 10" (19 1/4" by 15 1/4" as framed), signed at lower right in red "K. L. Weatherly" and dated there 1940. One of two works by this same artist I acquired at the same time, (the other one also in my shop), this is an impressionistic view of a southern American regional landscape, a swamp or lake with bald cypress and Spanish moss hanging from the trees. Such a scene would normally be encountered in a place like the Louisiana bayous...

Watercolor on paper painting of flowers in a short vase in a dish, a piece of fruit and a small book nearby, 11" by 15" inside the mat, 19 3/4" by 24" as framed, signed at lower right by the artist and dated there 1970. I do not see a lot of biographical information on the artist, but he did apparently work in a modernistic style, as Paul Klee or Lionel Feininger inspired semi-abstract or abstract works have appeared at auction in Germany...

Large folio size (19 1/2" by 24" inside the mat, 24 1/2" by 20" as framed) hand colored 19th century original vintage lithograph print (1867), titled at bottom "Horses at the Ford" by the iconic American print makers Currier and Ives. A great piece of Americana, this print is apparently rather scarce. Hand coloring in various shades of green, mostly, makes for a most attractive example. I have had an opportunity to examine this out of the frame. It exhibits normal browning, and there are old...

The famous large folio size Currier and Ives lithograph of 1864, "Winter in the Country" (sometimes referred to by its subtitle, "Getting Ice") is a very desirable image, and the original printing is very rare, highly coveted by collectors, and in 2002 with the late George Cohenour of Pennsylvania, Currier expert and publisher of a widely used price guide, that print is likely the most rare in the entire Currier and Ives production history. The present print will provide that desirable image, b...

Oil on canvas, 13 1/2" by 9 5/8" in its thin old frame, signed at lower center "Ellen B. Farr", the subject her typical signature pepper tree leaves and the distinctive red "berry" seed pods. Farr (1840-1907) is quite appreciated today for her California paintings of pepper trees, still life works of poppies, citrus, native indian baskets, and landscapes. Originally from New England (born in New Hampshire to a distinguished family, educated in nearby Vermont), Farr was an educated and wordly w...

Watercolor painting of a sunny meadow by the sea, vegetation partially obscuring a distant view to a coastline, 9 1/8" by 13 1/4" (16 1/2" by 20" in wood strip frame), signed at lower right by American artist HARRIET WINSLOW HAYDEN (1840-1926)--some give date of death as 1906. Hayden worked in both Massachusetts, and, later, in Colorado, where she became an active member of Denver-area art groups. She is listed in 1898 as having been a member of the Artists Club of Denver, in company with the ...

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. Condition is excellen...

Oil on burlap type canvas, unframed, 29 1/2" by 15", signed at lower right "BEKE", date circa 1950's or early 1960's most likely. The scene is a classic Mediterranean coastline in Italy or Spain, or, just a generic Mediterranean scene conceived by the artist. I don't see a listing for this artist so am offering this as a decorative piece. It is soiled, and would brighten substantially with a professional cleaning.

THREE pencil signed etchings, all of orientalist subject matter including possible temples, mosques and bazaars, all unframed, by the Dutch artist MARIUS BAUER (1867-1932). Bauer was born in The Hague and died in Amsterdam but in his lifetime strayed far from the confines of the Netherlands, visiting the Middle East, India, Russia, North Africa and the Dutch East Indies. A precocious talent, he received art training at an early age. By age 21 he had already visited Istanbul in Turkey, an exper...

Watercolor on paper, 12 1/2" by 9 1/2" inside the mat, 18 1/2" by 14 1/2" as framed, the subject the Museum of Wooden Architecture in Suzdal, Russia. Suzdal is in the province of Vladimir, approximately 150 miles northeast of Moscow. The work is signed at lower right by the talented contemporary Russian gallery artist NIKOLAI TROSCHENKOV (1961-) and dated there 1989, and at lower left, I'm told, is the name of the town (all this related to me by Russian speakers). On the reverse in longhand i...

Watercolor on paper, with skilled use of wet-on-wet technique, 19" by 27" (31" by 38" as framed), the subject quite possibly a city with figures, (but that is just a guess---only the artist knew for sure), signed at lower right "G. Benaroyo" (or "Benaroya") and dated there 1962. I believe Benaroyo or Benaroya is a Jewish surname, and I discovered upon opening this up that there is writing in Hebrew on the back of the work, the words "Benaroya landscape" and the original $150 price. I do not se...

Pastel on paper, 11" by 23 1/2" (15 1/2" by 28" in its original stained oak veneer frame), unsigned, the subject a beautiful still life arrangement including a number of peaches and bananas in front of a tilted bowl or possibly basket. I think the work dates to about the year 1900 give or take a decade or two. Condition is excellent, with just a little pastel dust adhering to the glass. I recall having seen some time ago a photo of an oil of this exact arrangement, the painting being by Calif...

Etching or aquatint in colors, 18 1/2" by 23" (28" by 31 1/2" as framed), titled at lower left margin "Les Vieux (???)" and signed at lower right margin by the noted French artist PAUL EMAIL LECOMTE (1877-1950). Lecomte was born to an artist father and an art-nourishing environment. After attending the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and study under Fernande Cormon, he went to work for the government. While in his 20's he began to exhibit annually at the Salon des Artistes Francais, where he won medals ...

Vintage (circa 1910 or 1920---possibly earlier---) old watercolor landscape of a log bridge over a small creek in a woodland, nicely framed, signed at lower left by listed upstate New York artist ELBRIDGE J. FENN (1857-1934). Fenn seems to have executed landscapes in oil and watercolor, in the area around the old Skaneateles art colony near the Finger Lakes, west of Syracuse. There is not a lot of biographical information to be gleaned from the net, but he was obviously talented. This work me...

Oil on canvas, 15 1/4" by 18 1/2" (22" by 25" as frame), the subject a copper or ceramic tub filled with red flowers , all against a simple background. The painting is not signed on the front but on the reverse is "Yerda Werkel" and "von Kurtz" and "1.9.46". So we have likely a German, Swiss or Austrian artist who would have painted this soon after the end of the war. I don't see a listing for the artist but she was talented. The painting has a few losses and shallow scrapes that could use i...

This is a landscape work by highly regarded American artist THOMAS WILLOUGHBY NASON (1889-1971). The print is signed in pencil at lower right and dated there 1937, when the artist was 48 years old, at mid-career. Nason was a Boston-born artist who by the late 1920's had taught himself the fine art of creating prints in the wood engraving process. This process was popular for illustrating books in the 19th century but by the twentieth it had fallen from favor. He revived the medium and truly exc...

After a watercolor drawing by the iconic, famous French modern artist PAUL CEZANNE (1839-1906) is this print best described as a pochoir, titled "La Cruche Verte", ("The Green Jug"), numbered at lower left 128/225. The print is affixed to a board on which the numeration is written in pencil. In a window in the mat below (and, not attached to that board---taped to the mat on the underside) is the title, description of the media used in the original drawing, measurements of that original, date o...

Watercolor on paper painting, 18" by 12 3/8" (24" by 18" as framed), unsigned, the subject classic red roses, buds and leaves, all in a pleasing vintage gold frame which is in very good condition, with just a little bit of loss at bottom margin. The painting likely dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. It has survived in fine shape, with no foxing nor water stains. If you fancy the Shabby Chic style, this is a natural.

American circa 1910 or at least early twentieth century pastel on paper drawing of grapes, apples and a banana, 17" by 20 3/4" framed in an oval, unsigned. The work is typical of pastel still life of the period, though I do not believe it by the "Chandler" workshop. Modest homes of the period were lucky to have an original work of art rather than a print. This one has survived in very good condition. The frame has a bit of wear consistent with age, including a broken off piece of the outer r...

ONE OF SEVERAL WORKS BY THE ARTIST IN MY SHOP---Watercolor on paper of a principal street in the French Quarter of New Orleans,14 1/2" by 10 1/2" inside the mat and 21 1/2" by 17 1/2" as framed, signed at lower right by the listed New Orleans artist TOM LANE (1916-1991). Lane was born in Toledo, Ohio but became a familiar figure in the French Quarter, painting in oil and watercolor the familiar and much-loved scenes frequented by tourists. This example is titled in the mat at lower left "Rue Roy...

Watercolor on paper, unframed, 9" by 11 3/4", signed at lower right in pencil, and signed again and apparently titled on the reverse, by the noted, long-lived American artist, THERESA FERBER BERNSTEIN (1890-2002). The watercolor likely dates to about the middle years of the 20th century, I would guess. Writing on the reverse seems to say "Israel/Yarkon River". In upper corner in different hand is "Yarkon, B./Israel". This is a scene on the Yarkon River which winds through Tel Aviv on its way...

Oil on canvas, 25 1/2" by 18" (32 1/2 by 24 1/2" as framed), apparently unsigned, circa 1930 to 1950, and very probably European (French or perhaps Scandinavian, judging from the stretcher). The painting is something of a mystery, the mysterious hand and spectacles at lower left coming from outside the image area. Almost certainly this was created by a listed artist but without a signature I cannot go further on that front. On the reverse stretcher appear the words "Vendredi" (Friday, in Frenc...

At first glance this might appear to be a print, but it is not: it is an amazingly crafted quite large hyper-real watercolor painting, 29" by 19 3/4" inside the mat, 37 1/2" by 26" framed, signed at lower right by the artist, JAY RATHER. From my internet research, this appears to be a work by the son of Texas artist Herb Rather (1930-), who painted in a similar style, though the online reference mentions Jay as Herb's father, not his son. I am guessing that Jay is the son because the work doe...

This is an original painting in gouache on paper, 23 3/4" by 23 3/4" square, in a narrow metal frame, apparently by an unlisted artist named Gertmenian. This is an Armenian name, and the painting was found in Los Angeles, where there is a large Armenian population. If you're seeking an eye-dazzler of a painting that contains strong primary colors, consider this decorative art. The photos were taken through the glass, which will be discarded as it's broken at lower right anyway; allow for refl...

Lithograph on paper, 8 3/4" by 12 3/8" inside the mat, 13 3/4" by 17 3/4" as framed, by American artist STOW WENGENROTH (1905-1978), pencil signed at lower right by the artist. Titled "Woodland Ledge" (created 1960 in an edition of approximately 50 examples for associate members of the Print Makers Society of California), this is a typical work of Wengenroth, who is today best known for his fine lithography work consisting mostly of scenes of the Northeast coast from Long Island to Maine, and a...

Oil on canvas, 27" by 39" (32 1/2" by 44 1/2" as framed), the scene a deep blue lake with small boats and a dock, puffy clouds filling the sky on a peaceful summer day. It is an expansive scene, large enough to invite the viewer to feel he is a part of it. I suppose the work is Swedish or Danish. The artist chose to sign with just the conjoined initials "HM" at lower left, where it is also dated 1948. Condition: because of evident past moisture exposure, there is flaking of the paint at rig...