Impressionist oil on canvas painting of ships in a harbor, titled on stretcher "San Francisco Bay in 1840", signed at lower right "M. McDOWD" (MARGARET EPENETER McDOWD 1894-1990). The work, 24" by 30", unframed, is masterfully painted. with excellent handling of light and color, all somewhat intentionally hazy and muted...

Oil on canvas painting of a fetching young woman, 30" by 24", unframed, signed at upper right corner "George E. Harris" and dated there 1929. The artist is American painter GEORGE EDGERLY HARRIS (1898-1938). Harris was born in Delaware and appears to have most of his auto accident-shortened life in the northeastern states. He was the son of Charles X. Harris of the Noank, Connecticut art colony, and a pupil of his father and of Charles Courtney Curran...

A rare prize for the specialist collector of Ohio art, this is an oil on canvas laid on board, the subject an impressionistic sketch of a patch of woodland in greens and browns, 8 5/8" by 11 1/2" plus narrow simple framing, signed in red at lower right "W. M. Darling". Darling is known today as the "Dean of Toledo Artists", a title earned after a lifetime of distinction in painting...

Oil on canvas painting of a stand of trees by a small pond or lake in early autumn, 20" by 24" (25" by 29" as framed), signed at lower left by the listed California artist RICHARD VERNON JOHNSON (1905-2001, death date sometimes given as 2007). Johnson was born in Montana and moved with his family to Long Beach, California by 1920. He studied at Chouinard Art Institute and the University of Montana. Johnson taught at various institutions in Orange County...

Oil on canvas painting of grouse in the snow among pines, 16" by 20", signed at lower right "Berta C. Richards 50", and titled in ink on the reverse "Spring Around the Corner/in Colo Foot Hills/Berta C. Richards/1950". I do not see a listing for the artist but this vintage oil is competently executed by a talented hand. The condition is excellent, since this has been protected actually behind glass, in the veneer-type frame often seen on Currier and Ives prints...

Oil on canvas impressionistic painting of an idealized street with old houses, trees and a few strolling figures, 24" by 36" (unframed), signed at lower left "F. H. McKay" and further identified in old penciled handwriting on the stretcher "Village on the Cove--Vermont" (and original $95.00 price is also written in two places). The artist is FRANCES H. McKAY (circa 1880-possibly 1969---biographical information is scarce online)...

Oil on canvas painting, signed at lower left "Charles T. Harris", late 20th century, the subject a red rock dramatic cliff of the Southwest, framed artistically by a large overhanging branch arching in from the right side. The work is very clean and ready to hang. This came from a local estate. The artist is talented but from what I can tell not listed. Size is 20" by 30" plus 2 1/2" wide on a side wood frame.

Oil on board painting of four wild horses in a corral under an immense western American sky, 17 1/2" by 21 1/2" framed, signed at lower right by American artist GRACE LORING BASSETT. There is some mention of the artist on the internet, most specifically as an illustrator in 1915 of a "Black Beauty" type book called "Don: His Recollections", a work about a horse, intended for children...

Large oil on canvas, 30" by 40" (34" by 44" framed), unsigned, in its vintage original frame, the subject a desert track through sandy scrub, distant purplish mountains filling the background. Though unsigned, the heavily impastoed, impressionistic style and the scene and colors used are unquestionably the work of JAMES MERRIAM (1880-1951). Merriam was born in Canada and was studying in Detroit, before arriving in Southern California...

Large acrylic on canvas contemporary painting, 56" by 48", unframed, titled on reverse "St. Sebastian", also dated 3/81 and signed there, by the well listed, widely-exhibited American artist, RUSS WARREN (1951-). The painting is striking, the figure shot full with arrows in a strange and surreal, magical landscape, mystery and symbolism and allegory surrounding the scene...

This is an unsigned oil on paper laid on board work, quite possibly an oil study for a more finished painting, circa 1870's, by the 19th century American painter JUNIUS SLOAN (1827-1900), the subject trees silhouetted against an extensive landscape, two ladies in period dress at center left, several houses in the middle distance, and two tiny cows grazing at right. The painting, 6" by 12", 9" by 15" in 20th century framing, is titled on the reverse of the board in old penciled hand, difficult t...

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. A colorful painting for the Route 66 fan, that would make for an interesting addition to a boy's room or p...

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. A gold frame would likely increase the impac...

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". The artist, BERTHA LUCE EMERY (1873-1957) is today closely associated with watercolors of M...

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: ...

This is a very nicely executed decorative impressionistic painting of a pond in spring within a groomed park-like setting, complete with mini-island with pagoda type rock formation, all surrounded by flowering springtime trees. There might even be orange koi fish in the pond. The painting, most likely American in origin, is oil on canvas laid on board. It is signed at lower right but I cannot seem to make it out. Size is 12" by 16", unframed. This being a "standard" size, you should be able...

An oil on canvas painting of garden flowers in a glass vase in an interior near a window, not signed on the front but on reverse stretcher is written in pencil "Rena Patterson" and a phone number with Southern California area code. This is a work of contemporary artist RENA PATTERSON, presently of Malibu, CA but previously a resident of many states from coast to coast. The artist has her own website, showing a number of her works, which include seascape, landscape, still life, and genre subjec...

A rare circa 1930 oil by the noted Northern California woman artist GRACE ALLISON GRIFFITH (1885-1955), the subject a tawny field among rugged hills. The unframed oil on canvas board measures 12" by 15 3/4". The artist signed in red at lower right with her distinctive signature. Griffith was born in Sebastopol, California, near Santa Rosa, in idyllic Sonoma County farm and ranch country. Her father, a fruit rancher, was credited with introducing the Gravenstein apple variety to the area. He...

For those seeking an early California painting featuring the Golden Gate, consider this circa 1900 (possibly as early as 1880's?) unsigned work on gray artist's board, 18" by 24" (22 1/2" by 28" as framed), the subject the Golden Gate looking north from approximately the Land's End area, Civil War-era Fort Point in the middle distance, and Mt. Tamalpais in the far distance in Marin County, a steam powered boat and a three masted ship in the channel. The world famous Golden Gate Bridge now spans...

Oil on canvas painting of high snowy mountains framed by aspen in late autumn, 12" by 16" (17 1/4" by 20 1/2" nicely framed) signed in the wet paint by well listed American artist EDWARD NORTON WARD (1928-). This might well be a scene in northern New Mexico or southern Colorado, but the artist was known to have painted in many locales in the American west, including Montana, Oregon and Alaska. Ward, a native Californian, moved to the Monterey area in the mid 1950's. A Joshua Meador student, h...

(**One of two works by the artist in my shop**). Unlike most commonly seen works by this artist, which are actually serigraph prints, this is an original oil on canvas painting, measuring 34" by 25 1/2" (39" by 31" framed). The scene is of the Golden Gate with the famous bridge half hidden by the fog, as spinnakers of yachts billow in a brisk breeze. The work is signed at lower right "Dietrich" (HERMANN DIETRICH 1916-2003). Dietrich's online profile has only in recent years become more develop...

Oil on board floral still life, 9 1/2" by 7 1/4" (11 1/2" by 9 1/4" framed), signed at lower right by listed artist JANET EDNA GREENLEAF (some give birth date as 1936). Born in Indiana, the artist studied in the San Francisco Bay area and also lived for significant periods of time in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Her generally small paintings of vases with flowers, similar to this one, are often encountered especially in the Northeast. Condition is excellent, frame is a little askew from shipping...

Oil on canvas, 16 1/2" by 28 1/2" (20" by 32" framed), the scene a Mediterranean California style courtyard garden complete with fountain pond, palms and other vegetation, signed at lower left by the artist, one Daisy Dean Lucas, and dated there 1938. A google search shows an interesting tidbit concerning a woman by that name in Kern County, California, estranged from her apparently wealthy husband and attempting to sue him in the year 1937. Other than this I do not see a lot of information on...

Large (40" by 32", 47 1/2" by 41 1/2" as nicely framed) painting of a woman in a rowboat on a small lake, trees providing some respite from the sun on this high summer, exceptionally bright day, signed at lower left by listed English artist ERNEST G. BEACH (1865-c. 1934), and dated there 1910. This is an impressive work, perhaps one of the artist's best, with beautiful impressionist technique and colors. Beach appears to have painted many landscapes with sheep and shepherds, as well as some ...

Oil on tin sheet painting of a man in cowboy hat, titled on reverse backing "The Old Hat", 16" by 12" (22 1/2" by 18 3/4" framed), signed at lower right and again on the backing, by the well known artist of the American Southwest, RAMON KELLEY (born 1939). This is a sensitively painted work of a subject obviously very familiar to the artist. Kelley studied on a scholarship at the Colorado Institute of Art in Denver, where he counted the artist Charlie Dye among his instructors. A Taos, New Me...

Oil on canvas painting, 18 1/2" by 24 1/2" including the thin red wood frame, circa 1960's or 1970's, signed on the stretcher "John J. Molino". I don't see a listing for the name so offer the painting as a decorative mid century item. It is quite a colorful and dramatic work and will beautifully complement your Eames Era modern decor. I think there's a little bit of Stuart Davis color and imagery in this. Note how the paint is raised in the hard-edge striping. The painting is a little dusty...

Oil on canvas painting, unframed, 24" by 18", titled on stretcher in artist's hand "TAKING IN THE SIGHTS ON ROMANTIC CHURCH STREET, CHARLESTON", and signed at lower left by the late San Diego county artist and poet NATALIE REED. Reed was a familiar name in the arts community in the San Diego area, creating paintings and sculptures and even murals in large scale for public buildings, including a work for the Federal Building in downtown San Francisco. She was a traveler, painting along the way ...

Oil on masonite painting of a small adobe structure in a landscape, 11" by 14" and narrow frame, signed in green at lower left corner "Clapp". The work is impressionistic, and the subject suggestive of New Mexico. I checked with an authority on the works of Canadian/California artist William Henry Clapp (1879-1954) to see if he thought this might be by that artist, which would enhance its value significantly. He did not believe the work to be by that artist, citing style and signature, and sa...

Sold together as a pair, unframed oil on masonite board paintings of trees in landscapes, the larger piece 30" by 40", the smaller one 24" by 35 1/2", both by the noted Santa Barbara/Ventura area California artist DOUGLAS SHIVELY (1896-1991). Shively was born in Santa Paula among the citrus and avocado groves, and he chose to continue to live in that scenic area his entire life, despite many overseas voyages. After serving in World War I he went into the banking business, ultimately reaching e...

Fresh to the market (acquired in southern Pennsylvania antique shop), an oil on canvas landscape of typical tawny gold hills in late summer, signed at lower left by the well-listed California artist MANUEL VALENCIA (1856-1935). The work measures 15 3/4" by 24" on the stretcher, 20 1/2" by 28 1/2" in present frame. Anyone who has traveled the state after the winter/early spring rains have ended will recognize the unreal gold hillsides against cloudless blue skies, which the artist has captured ...

Oil on canvas painting of a man seated in a library, 28" by 22" (34" by 27 3/4" framed), signed on the book cover at lower right and the subject apparently one "Dr. Young", by well listed Russian-born California artist ALEXANDER IGNATIEV (1913-1995). The work is very 1940's/1950's in feeling, almost mural-like. Ignatiev escaped Russia for China during the revolution and was in San Francisco by 1923, where he studied with Gleb Ilyin. Later in Los Angeles he studied at Chouinard with Millard Sh...

A nicely painted work of Boston-born still life painter CHARLES STORER (1817-1907), the subject red roses, painted on gray art board, measuring 10" by 14" (15 1/2" by 19 1/4" framed). The artist signed at center left edge and dated the painting 1901. This is an excellent example of still life work of the period in New England. Storer was born in Boston, He exhibited at the Boston Art Club and the National Academy. Most existing paintings appear to date to near the end of the artist's life. ...

This is a small California painting on board of the sequoia or redwood forest, 8 1/4" by 11" framed, unsigned, protected behind glass. Condition is excellent. Frame is wood. Though small, the artist captures the majesty of the cathedral-like groves for which the state is famous.

Oil on unstretched canvas painting of a traditional temple's courtyard, signed at lower left "Pociecha", "Nikko", and dated 1920. This is a rare, very early work by a painter known commonly as STAN PORAY (Stanislaus Pociecha Poray, 1888-1948), and most associated with California art. The work measures 15 1/2" by 12 1/4". Poray was born into nobility (his father a count) in Krakow, Poland and was educated in art there and in Paris. For a short time thereafter he lived in Moscow, then in Tomsk...

By the hand of renowned American painter AUGUSTUS VINCENT TACK (1870-1949), this is a beautifully worked portrait of a dark-eyed young woman wearing a lovely blue-white lacy dress, nervously fingering her pearls. The work is signed on the reverse and dated there 1904. Measurements are 24" by 18" (28" by 22" in what is likely the original frame). The painterly impressionist work in the dress area is masterful, as is the obviously skilled depiction of her hand. Tack was a noted artist who work...