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...

Oil on canvas still life of white flowers in a vase on a table top, a decorative curtain at left, 30" by 25", unframed, signed at lower left and inscribed there "For Mother & Dad", by the listed California artist EUGENE DUNLAP (1916-1999). Dunlap studied with the likes of Jack Wilkinson Smith, J. Mason Reeves and Nell Walker Warner. An exhibitor at the Golden Gate International Exhibition in 1939, he for a good part of his life was a part of the Laguna Beach art scene...

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...

Oil on canvas painting of a small house in the trees, 22" by 26" (28" by 32" framed), signed at lower right "Stahl" and dated there "42", titled on reverse "In Laurel Canyon" and signed and dated again there. This is an early work by the important, well-listed American illustrator artist and art educator BENJAMIN A. STAHL (1910-1987). Stahl was Chicago-born, and traveled to Mexico and apparently California as well, before settling into Weston, Connecticut and eventually, Sarasota, Florida...

Large example of the work of the much-storied American artist "T. Bailey", circa 1910, measuring 24" by 36" (32 1/2" by 44 1/2" framed). This is the largest example I have been able to find, after a search of the auction records...

Oil on canvas, 18" by 12 1/2", unframed, signed at lower right "F M Shane", and inscribed on reverse of the canvas, "Loveland Canon/Road to Estes Park/Colorado/1925". This work is somewhat primitive but the artist has created an interesting painting. There is a listed artist Frederick Emmanuel Shane (1906-1992), a Missouri regionalist who also painted in Colorado; conceivably this could be an early work of that artist, for some reason signed "F M Shane"...

This is a late 19th century American painting by an anonymous artist, from the heart of the Victorian age. It measures 16" by 24" on the original stretchers (21 1/4" by 30" including the frame and probably original red velvet liner)...

Oil on canvas, 9 1/2" by 13 14" (18" by 22 1/2" as framed), signed in red at lower left "J. A. McClurg" and dated there with what looks like "1900" or "1908"...

Oil on Masonite painting, 18" by 7 3/4" (24" by 13 3/4" as framed, with liner), the subject two young girls and their classic olla-type water or grain pots. of the Southwest. This is likely a New Mexico or Arizona scene, executed in tan and brown earth tone colors. The painting is signed in black at lower left "Ch...

Oil on canvas painting of a matador in his suit of lights, 31" by 23", unframed, not signed but inscribed on the stretcher with the name of the artist and title "portrait of a matador".. This is a circa late 1940's or perhaps 1950's work I would guess, by noted listed artist JOSEPH WEISMAN (1907-1994). Weisman was born in the east but was already in California as a young man...

PAIR of unframed, unstretched oil on canvas paintings, the larger 20" by 24", the smaller one 17 1/4" by 22", both signed at lower right "Allen H...

This unframed 20" by 24" oil on canvas landscape painting is something of a mystery. It is signed "J.V.C." and dated 1851 at lower left (see very close up photos), and on the wood stretcher on the reverse is incised "John V. Cornell New York". I believe there is an excellent possibility that this is a work by the historical New York painter John V. Cornell but I cannot prove it. He seems to have been an obscure fellow, though he is listed in the book of historical painters born before 1860, a...

An American 19th century oil on canvas still life, circa 1870-1890, measuring 10" by 16" (12 1/2" by 18 1/2" as framed), unsigned, featuring a metal pot with green and red apples, a pitcher, and a glass, in the classic style of nineteenth century American still life art. I wish the artist had signed his or her work, as he or she was quite skilled. The painting has a patch on the reverse, approximately 3 1/2" by 2", corresponding to a repair in the red apple. It is acceptable as is to the casu...

This is a stunning, classic plein air style seascape painting (24" by 30", 29 1/2" by 33 1/2" as framed) signed at lower left by California master artist HENRY LEOPOLD RICHTER (1870-1960). A probable original title, "SURF", is written on the stretcher. The handling of color, motion, and especially the balance of sunlight and shadow is quite impressive. Having viewed a number of other works by the artist online, this one really seems to stand out. It needs a cleaning, inpainting of small loss...

Oil on canvasboard painting titled on backing paper "LAVISH FALL PALETTE/LONGS PEAK", signed at lower right by artist RUTH ERWIN (1904-1994). The work, featuring flaming aspen in the Colorado high country in high autumn, a view to monumental Longs Peak in the distance, measures 10" by 8" (18 1/2" by 16" framed). I've gathered a few nuggets of information on the artist through the net. One person wrote what she found on a label attached to the back of an Erwin painting she owned: "....the "pa...

Oil on canvas, 18" by 25" (19 1/2" by 26 1/2" as framed) signed lower left "F. Glyndon". This is a nicely painted landscape of the edge of the forest, with pink blossoms on one of the trees, by FRANK GLYNDON (1847-1937). Glyndon was born in Prague, Bohemia and arrived in New York by ship from Liverpool in 1892. Shortly after 1900, Glyndon lived in Alameda, California. He was known for genre, landscapes, and portrait paintings. Some paintings have recently sold at auction, one, of a night sce...

Oil on canvas nocturne style painting of a wave, 24" by 30" (28" by 34" as framed) by listed California artist ERNEST BROWNING SMITH (1866-1951). Smith is a familiar artist on the plein air scene and I believe his works are presently underrated in the marketplace. The artist had a trademark style; often the scenes in my experience are simplified, devoid of figures, and in a limited color palette. This nocturne is executed in shades of blue. It does not appear to be signed on the front but i...

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.