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...

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...

Painting on canvasboard, I believe in tempera or similar, (not oil), 16" by 20" (21" by 25" framed), titled on reverse "SWAYBACK", and signed at lower right "CHARLES TRUMBO HENRY" and dated there 1948. The artist was a student of Thomas Hart Benton, Boardman Robinson, and George Grosz. Little known today, he was an active exhibitor and major museums include his work in their collections...

Oil on canvasboard painting of flowering yucca ("Spanish Bayonet") in a landscape, signed at lower right by Barbara White, a talented artist from Silver City, New Mexico, who was elected first president of the organization in 1968. There does not seem to be much other information readily available on the net, but one reference does indicate that she is deceased. The painting measures 9" by 12" and 15" by 18" framed. The artist wrote her name, address and the title "N...

Vintage oil of white, yellow and pink roses on a table top, circa Victorian late 19th century to the early years of the new century, apparently unsigned, in pleasing old wood and gilt frame, the entire work as framed measuring 11" by 13 1/4". The canvas is laid against the backing but is not glued down to it so there is some rippling. Other than a few minor surface abrasions the overall impression is quite beautiful. A fine acquisition for the still life collector or shabby chic decorator.

An early oil on canvas painting, 10 1/4" by 8 1/2", unframed, unsigned, featuring a nocturne moonlight view of Mission Delores in San Francisco. At the time the landmark was a popular subject for artists. Manuel Valencia was apparently fond of painting it as it appears in a number of his works...

Oil on canvas modernistic still life, 12" by 20" (13" by 21" in a narrow wood frame), signed at lower right "R. FORTIER" and dated there 1948. The work reminds me a little bit of Braque, Picasso or some of the other 20th century giants who painted modern still life. This painting was evidently owned by a heavy smoker or was in a bar or restaurant where smoke was very much a part of the scene, as it is very heavily yellowed and smells of smoke...

This is a pretty, impressionist circa 1930's small landscape painting of trees and a path bordering water, painted on gray art board, measuring 9" by 12" (13 1/2" by 16" framed). There is no signature on the front but on the art board label is written in ink "Swick". This may or may not be the artist. The painting is so nicely executed, but its inherent beauty is dulled by decades of dirt. A professional cleaning will truly transform this one...

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. The painting is competently executed...

Circa 1940's or 1950's oil on canvas, 25" by 30", (33" by 38" as framed), the subject a vase with pink and white flowers, some blue cornflowers at lower left in front of an open oriental fan, the entire scene suffused with a pinkish, mid-century light. The painting is signed at lower right by the Who Was Who in American Art-listed JOSEPH LANE (1900-), an artist and muralist who trained at the Art Institute of Chicago...

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...

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. The painting...

An oil on canvasboard painting of the California desert, painted in unusually pastel-y color palette, signed at lower left by artist Alzira Maria. The piece, 22" by 28" (28" by 34" framed) features an almost Cubist handling in the distant mountains, reminding of artists such as Andrew Dasburg. The painting is clean and wall-ready. Frame is attractive distressed wood style, and liner and gold fillet are in good condition.

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.

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...

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". So apparently this is a mid 1940's view from Western New Hampshire looking west over the Conn...

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...