A PAIR of American oil on board mountain landscapes, each 23 1/2" by 11 3/4" (29 1/2" by 17 1/2" framed), both signed at lower corner A. A. Baker. There does not seem to be biographical information on the Hudson River-inspired artist, who likely painted these in the mid 1880's. It is doubtful that they have ever been cleaned. There is a smell of smoke. One has a 1" puncture of the board (in the tree at right), the pressure having come from the reverse side; the piece remains attached...

Oil on board painting of watermelon, grapes, and banana arranged on a tabletop, 20" by 24" (25" by 28 1/2" framed), signed at lower left by American artist Helen Lubetkin. The work is by a skilled hand, though I can find very little information online relating to this name; the painting was found in Los Angeles, and a woman by that name died in San Marcos (North San Diego County) in the late 1980's, but there is no way of telling if this might have been the artist...

A vintage oil on canvasboard painting of distant green gentle mountain ranges, a cluster of structures (a farm) and surrounding trees in the foreground, unsigned but written apparently by the Claremont, New Hampshire framer on the backing paper appears "Mark V. Miller/For Mother/1949/Lyme Rd., NH/Looking over into VT". Also, written in pencil on the canvasboard is "Mrs. Leon Miller/8B/pick up colors"...

Oil on canvasboard painting, 14" by 18" (17 1/2" by 21 1/2" in simple wood frame), signed on the reverse by artist James E. Carson of Andover, Massachusetts and titled there "Lobster Cove". This is a peaceful scene, most likely of the Lobster Cove near Annisquam and Gloucester, MA, but I see there is also a Lobster Cove in Maine. Regardless of the exact location, this is a classic scene of New England, captured by a talented artist...

A circa 1900 oil on canvas painting of roses against a simple dark background, 12 1/2" by 18", and 20" by 24 1/2" in likely original bright gold frame. There does not appear to be a signature. Roses were a popular subject of painters during that period, with many young ladies especially encouraged to take up painting. The American painter George Cochran Lambdin often used dark or black backgrounds for his floral still life works...

Oil on board landscape, unsigned, the subject a panorama of red rock cliffs and distant butte, likely in Arizona, or possibly Utah, the scene framed by tree at right. The work has some age, a guess would place this circa 1955 to about 1965. Certainly it is good enough to have been painted by a listed artist. The condition is acceptably good...

Oil on linen laid on board, 16 1/4" by 23 1/4", the simple modern frame about 1 1/4" wide, signed at lower right by listed California woman artist M.E. HODGDON, not dated but likely before 1920. The painting recently came out of Maine, where it had possibly resided for decades, perhaps brought east by an early day traveler wanting a souvenir. The artist, MARY E. HODGDON, is said by Hughes in his dictionary of California artists to have been a resident of Los Angeles between 1912 and 1922...

In the style of masters like William Harnett, John F. Peto, Otto Kaye and others, this is a painting of an ink bottle, old style fountain pen, pipe and matches, stamped envelope and calendar, signed at lower right "Roy Fay". The letter, in the trompe l'oeil" (French for "fool the eye") tradition, is addressed to himself, in "Pasadena, Cal", and is interestingly postmarked in Kansas. The calendar is from the "Ohio Grocery", of Pasadena, and the calendar sheet reads November 1912...

Oil on canvas painting of small figures walking a dirt track in autumn along the shore of a lake, 19 3/4" by 24" (28" by 32" framed), signed at lower right with what appears as "Fan UDKO". I believe the work is likely by a listed artist but I cannot come up with any listing from the name, at least as I am reading it. Perhaps more research might identify the artist...

Oil on panel, 9 1/4" by 12 1/2" (14 1/4" by 17 1/4" as framed), signed at lower left in red "Karla Mirabal", and inscribed on label on reverse, "Judge M. R. Mirabal Homestead in New Mexico" "Artist Karla King--So Calif and New Mexico--Artists of West--WHAA". This is probably of historical interest, depicting as it does an early home. The work is very impasto and impressionistic. The painting is a bit soiled but could be placed on the wall as is. Note the two young girls on the porch.

This is a **PAIR** of unframed paintings in acrylic on Masonite (one appears to be on a thin, gauzy type of canvas laid on masonite), one 18" by 24", one 24" by 12" by noted Northern California artist TED CHRISTENSEN (1911-1998). Neither is signed on the front but they are typical of the subject matter and technique of the artist. Both are inscribed on the back; one says "#89-1 TED CHRISTENSEN/ACRYLIC - 12" x 24"; the other says "9002 -GOLDEN GATE/TED CHRISTENSEN/ACRYLIC 18" by 24". The ve...

Autumn landscape painting, oil on masonite panel, 9" by 12" (16 1/2" by 19" framed), signed at lower right, and on reverse bearing title "Fall on Geer Mtn." and the artist's then-address in South Kent, a small town in northwestern Connecticut. This is an early, 1966 palette knife work of contemporary Connecticut impressionist RICHARD STALTER (1934-). Stalter was born in Dayton, Ohio, exhibiting early talent. Work in advertising was not satisfying, leading the young artist to come at age 30 to...

Oil on canvasboard circa 1960 painting of a variety of flowers in a ceramic yellow vase artistically placed on a textile with another ceramic vessel nearby, signed at lower left "Betty Way". The work, which measures 24" by 18", also bears a label on the reverse with the artist's name and address in Springfield, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. To date I have not located a known artist by this name. A Betty Way of Harrisburg, PA was a newspaper circulation manager. There might well be ...

Oil on canvas impressionist still life of flowers, 24" by 30" (30" by 36" in the vintage, period frame), signed at lower right by listed California artist Edwin L. Forker (1876-1958). Born in Pennsylvania, Forker was in California by 1918. He is known today for the body of decorative paintings he left for posterity. This work is in excellent condition, having come directly from a West Los Angeles house where it was displayed for many years.

Oil on canvas California coastal landscape, in extremely poor condition, in need of someone to love it and preserve it. The work measures 19" by 22" (23" by 26" framed), and is signed at lower right J... WITT. From comparison to a fully signed painting, I can say that this is a work of listed California artist JESSIE R. DeWITT. DeWitt was active in the Laguna Beach area in the 1940's, and has some ties to Arkansas, but generally there is little biographical information available on this talen...

For the fans of the "Big Eye" paintings, here is a pair of mid century retro style works in oil on board, each 23 1/2" by 11 1/4", and each signed at lower right. The signatures are hard to decipher; I'm guessing "Balmiani" or "Dalmiani". If I am reading them at all correctly, I am not able to tie these names to any of the listed, recognized big eye painters. Regardless of authorship, these are sure to please the devoted big eye collector. One of them has some light to moderate surface scuff...

A still life on board, of fruit on a green table cloth with white pitcher, unframed, 12" by 16", signed in the wet paint by listed Connecticut woman artist SUSAN GRISELL (1946-). The work is in excellent condition, and needs just a (standard size, easy to find) frame. Grisell is a New Milford, Connecticut native and has lived her life mostly in Litchfield County in the scenic northwestern part of the state. The area has a rich artistic history, having attracted painters since the 19th century...

Colorful vintage unframed impressionist painting of the iconic Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, painted in a bright palette, oil on canvas laid on board, 12" by 14", signed at lower right with conjoined initials "MP", a typical signature of California artist MARION RANDALL PARSONS (1878-1953). Parsons was born in San Francisco and lived most of her life in the Bay Area. A bold and independent woman for her time, she befriended Wanda Muir, daughter of famous naturalist John Muir, and through the frie...