An interesting, folky, oil on canvas painting of a house with stone chimney set in a lush open valley, apparently set in Salinas Valley in California, signed by artist Sharon Moree Giambrocco Ebina, who wrote a long story on the back of the canvas. In that story she explains how the painting is inspired by the movie made from the John Steinbeck book "East of Eden". She also touches on the Japanese inspiration she feels, her signature incorporating the Japanese character for "valley"...

A vintage still life oil painting, unframed, 30" by 24", signed twice at lower right (one, very faint) by listed Southern California artist BERTHA TOWNSEND COLER (1865-1948). Coler was born in Ohio and studied with Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase in New York City. By 1928 she had moved to Santa Monica, California and for the next two decades was a prolific painter in watercolor and oil, concentrating on portraits and still life, with some landscapes in the mix...

An American circa late 1960's to about 1970 still life painting in oil on rough side of the Masonite, 18" by 14" (24" by 19 1/2" framed), signed at lower left possibly "Pardoe". The red poppies are beautifully rendered and the richness of the red contrasts with the deep blue of the vase. Condition is excellent. A very decorative painting, in a frame of the period.

Impressionist seascape oil painting on canvasboard, 12" by 16" (16 1/2" by 20 1/2" framed) signed at lower right by Colorado artist ALFRED JAMES WANDS (1904-1998). On the reverse in pencil is written "Artist---Alfred Wands/2065 Ivanhoe St./Denver 7 Colo./Breaking Sea/$50.00". The work likely dates to the 1950's. Wands was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended the Cleveland Art Institute, then went to Europe for studies in Brussels and Munich...

An impressionist oil on canvas painting of an old late 19th century American church in a western city, as snowcapped mountains loom at right, signed at lower right corner "Crossen '75". This might be by a listed artist, Michigan-born Preston McCrossen (1894-1981), who worked in New Mexico. amd California. I have googled brick churches in western cities to try to identify the subject...

Acrylic on canvas contemporary painting of palms, depicted in yellow, pinkish-red and greenish-blue against an electric blue background, 18" by 24", unframed, signed at lower right by the artist, Shannon Casey. This is a nicely decorative, breezy work that will surely add a touch of the tropics to your interior. There are a very few minor spots of soiling or abrasion that hardly detract from the overall effect.

Oil on masonite panel painting of a Texas landscape with oaks and bluebonnet in the spring, 16" by 20", unframed, signed at lower left by artist Nancy McDonald. According to the daughter of the artist, Nancy's paintings were sold in the San Antonio area. She belonged to the River Art Group for many years. McDonald passed away in 2011. The painting is attractive and squarely within the "Bluebonnet School" tradition of Texas art...

Oil on canvas painting of pinkish flowers in a clay pot against a blue drape, unsigned, circa 1950's/early 1960's, 20" by 16" (22" by 18" in simple wood frame). The work was found in Virginia. Obviously by a trained artist. Note the shadows cast at left---well handled. Condition is excellent. There is a very small disturbed area on frame at top.

An oil on panel painting of a red covered bridge in a mountain landscape, a village at left center, 13" by 19 1/2" (16" by 22" framed), signed at lower right by artist Ed Mifflin. I do not see a listing for this name. The scene likely shows Vermont or Maine; possibly there are covered bridges in hilly southern Ohio that might fit. In any event the circa 1960 work is very poetic...

Brooks Pettus (1918-2003) was a noted western American artist who passed away in Kennewick, Washington, leaving behind a large body of work in watercolor and oil that only recently appeared on the market. Pettus earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico, and spent time in Albuquerque and Taos in the early 1940's. New Mexico's artistically inspiring landscape stimulated Pettus' aesthetic sense as it has for countless others...

**FIFTEEN** original gouache drawings on commercial art board, varying sizes, the largest 15" by 20", the smallest 10" by 13 3/4", mostly unsigned but several stamped on reverse with name and address in Van Nuys, California of noted Disney studios illustrator in the 1950's and 1960's, FRANS VAN LAMSWEERDE (1924-1969). These works all feature Holy Land subject matter; acquired at the same time, they evidently were together for many years since the artist's death at a young age...

An oil on canvas painting of white flowers in a glass vase on a table top, two small porcelain vessels nearby, the work signed at lower right by artist Minerva Smithers. On the stretcher in pencil is written "Matilija Poppy" and then the artist again wrote her name in longhand. A google search shows a Minerva Smithers born in 1877 in Wisconsin, the woman's residence given in the 1940 census as Hawthorne, in Southern California (very near where this was found)...

A painting on canvas, 10" by 14" (11" by 15" in simple modern frame), featuring a New England homestead, likely Connecticut, complete with split rail fence and stone wall, signed at lower right and dated there 1892 by Wisconsin-born artist GEORGE SELDEN ROORBACH (1860-1930). The artist was in the Northeast in the 1890's, living with his young bride in the vicinity of Mystic, Connecticut, and also instructing in art in New York City. He exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1891...

An old and antique American painting of a seated young man playing a flute in a vaguely defined interior, 24" by 20" (32 1/2" by 28" in mid 20th century frame), unsigned. The talented artist remains anonymous but was obviously talented and probably listed. Note the mantel clock at left and elegant European-style table and chair. Over the years the painting has darkened dramatically, taking on a yellow-brown cast due to decades of grime and smoke. A test cleaning by a restorer shows the whit...

A very interesting and unusual painting, appearing to be gouache on a prepared gessoed panel (and the piece is accordingly quite heavy for its size), featuring Native American indian dancers and onlookers in the Southwest, likely Navajos of New Mexico or northeastern Arizona. The 22 1/2" by 27" unframed work is signed at lower right "Arline Wyrick". A quick google search did not reveal any obvious links to a known artist, but she was obviously quite skilled, and this bears further research. T...

Oil on canvas painting of a man's smoking pipe and other objects on a tabletop, 13" by 15", 16 1/2" by 18 1/2" in mid 20th century gold frame, signed at upper right by artist Cora (Cara?) L. Sloper and dated there 1899. This is a competently painted work, but I am unable to locate an artist by this name despite an intensive internet search. The name appears to be common in the upper Midwest, but this painting was purchased in Massachusetts, near Cape Cod. Condition is very good for a work ove...

A PAIR of oil on canvasboard paintings, each 20" by 24", signed at lower right by the same artist, "McKee", the subjects a rural farm in autumn, the other an eerily empty Hopperesque old house. These were found in Southern California and the scenes may well be Californian. There are a number of artists by the name McKee so it is difficult to determine who may have created these. Both are in need of varnish, and the house painting has a small spot of missing paint in the sky at left, as well...

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. This painting is in generally good vintage condition, with a v...