Watercolor on paper painting of a lone figure in a clearing surrounded by summer trees, unframed, 9 1/4" by 14", signed at lower left "S.J YARD. 97. JUNE." This is an eastern-looking work though the subject is almost certainly somewhere in Northern California. Yard was born in Rockford, Illinois where he was able to become introduced to art. Still young, after further art study in New York, he moved to London, coming under the tutelage of Royal Academician Sutton Palmer...

Oil on thin canvas painting of a classic American Indian with chief's feather headdress, executed in a charmingly naive style by an amateur artist around the year 1960 I would guess. The work measures 17" by 14" in its oak simple sturdy frame. When purchased it was behind broken glass, so has survived in excellent, clean condition. There might be a signature "Viv" at lower right corner...

Oil on canvas landscape of a traditional scene of tropical Southeast Asia, figures wearing conical hats working in a manicured, lush, green rice paddy, 20" by 23 1/2" (25" by 28 1/2" as framed), signed at lower left in orange by the noted contemporary Indonesian painter SRI MARTHA (also spelled sometimes as one word, "SRIMARTHA")...

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...

Pastel on paper of a rugged coast with crashing waves, 13 1/2" by 19 1/2", plus wood frame, signed at lower right by often-auctioned California artist CARL SAMMONS (1883-1968). Sammons is known among collectors for his impressionist landscapes, often of Northern California, but he also traveled to other parts of the state and throughout the Southwest. The artist was born in Nebraska and was in California by the year 1919, studying at the California School of Fine Arts...

This is an original drawing by the hand of the famous, iconic American cartoonist CHARLES M. SCHULZ (1922-2000), signed "Sparky". The work, drawn with color markers, measures 13 1/2" by 10" inside the mat, and is inscribed "For Bonnie & Dave with Friendship". As original art by a man considered one of the most influential cartoonists of all time, this is a desirable work indeed. The artist and his "Peanuts" comic strip has become part of international pop culture...

This is a pleasant unsigned oil on canvasboard landscape, 16" by 20" (20" by 24" simply framed), the subject a lake surrounded by low hills, a church at right and a few strolling figures at left. The work might be by an amateur or a listed artist but due to the lack of a signature the truth will never be known. There is a little even soiling consistent with an age of at least 40 years, and a small hairline abrasion at center which is not obtrusive...

Three drawings in pencil on gray-blue paper, each 7 1/2" by 12" approximately inside the mat, all of coastal scenes with multiple figures, sailing ships and even dogs and donkeys. Two are signed with the "W C" initials and are dated Nov. 1866; the third one with conjoined initials is titled "Falmouth" (a city in Cornwall, on the southwest coast of England) and is dated 12 June 1867...

For the collector of early, 19th century California art, here is an east coast-style still life work, 10" by 14 1/2", unframed, signed at lower right "Bertie L Emery" and dated there 1892. The shallow dish holds oranges, grapes, a banana, and possibly slices of cake or bread, the dish resting on a white cloth, on an unseen tabletop. Interestingly for art history, Emery signs her first name as "Bertie"...

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...

Watercolor on paper, unsigned, 9" by 5 1/2", (12 5/8" by 8 5/8" as framed), the subject a mansion's impressive doorway with Corinthian columns, hanging lantern, detailed cornices, balustraded balcony, and green shutters, with lush flowering plantings surrounding the entry. Unfortunately, this is unsigned. There are some framing notes on the reverse in old hand, including "Mrs. Buckingham", but there are no clues as to artist...

Found in southwestern New Hampshire is this charming drawing, 7 3/4" by 5 3/4" (9 5/8" by 7 3/8" framed), the subject a lady with a slight neoclassical profile, standing isolated against an extensive landscape. There's no signature nor other information but it would appear to be an American drawing dating to the 2nd quarter of the 19th century. Condition is very good save for a 3/8" by 1/4" disturbed area in the sky that appears at first glance to be a drip of some kind but which appears to ac...

Watercolor on paper or paper laid on board, 15 1/2" by 23 3/4" (21 1/2" by 29 3/4" as framed without glass), the scene an old Dutch town on the ever-present water, small boats and hay barges tied up alongside the houses. It is signed at lower left "L. van Straten", which is a well-known pseudonym for the listed Dutch artist HERMANUS KOEKKOEK II (1836-1909), along with "J. van Couver". The artist signed this way in order to somehow differentiate himself from the numerous talented artists of tha...

Lithograph with hand coloring and gum arabic highlighting in the leaves, from the Imperial folio quadrupeds series circa 1848, plate number 144, depicting three species of mole-like rats (Townsend's Arvicola, the sharp-nosed Arvicola, and the bank rat), by the important American naturalist artist and lithographer JOHN JAMES AUDUBON (1785-1851). Audubon was assisted by his son John Woodhouse Audubon, and the printing was by J. T. Bowen of Philadelphia. The creator of this print hardly needs in...

Original drypoint etching printed in two colors by David B. Milne (Canada, 1882-1953). In excellent original condition. Pencil signed lower left. Circa 1929-1930. As issued in The Colophon, New York, 1931. David Milne is an important Canadian modernist.

Works by ALBERT HORATIO SLADE (1843-1922) are quite rare in the marketplace. The few that have come to auction feature coastal scenes of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura Counties. Prices of $8,000 and even $12,000 have been achieved on several larger works that are site-specific. Some are of great historical interest, as they document early buildings and communities. Slade was born in England and had a photography studio in Toronto, Canada by 1879. He was in San Diego by 1887. He was kno...

Oil on canvas painting, 20" by 28" (24" by 32" framed), the subject a great clipper ship of the 19th century silhouetted against the setting sun (or dawn) on a calm sea. The painting is signed at lower left by the artist, William P. Lawrence and is dated below that either 1938 or 1928; difficult to discern. I don't see that he is a listed artist but obviously he was talented. The scene has a fine luminosity and clearly shows the painter's understanding of light and backlighting. CONDITION: ...

Etching in dark brownish-black ink, 14 3/8" by 10 1/2" inside the mat (19 3/4" by 15 1/2" as framed), the print numbered at lower left 37/100, while additionally signed and dated there as well in the plate, while titled in the plate "Notre Dame #2" at lower right. This is likely by an artist considered Canadian, CAROLINE HELENA WILKINSON ARMINGTON (1875-1939) rather than by American CAROLINE ARMINGTON (1898-1986), though records for the two seem to be hopelessly entangled. The former was born...