Catalog (164)

Beautiful antique original Italian watercolor landscape painting of a waterfall and castle ruins by Vincent Blatter signed lower left. Presented matted and framed. Vincent Blatter (1843 - 1913) was active/lived in Italy. Vincent Blatter is known for painting landscapes. Overall framed size 15 x 20" excellent condition.

Original antique 19th century Japanese Woodblock Print by KUNISADA (AKA TOYOKUNI III, 1786-1864). Presented matted and framed. In good antique condition some surface soiling commensurate of age. Kunisada Utagawa was born in 1786 in Honjo, in the outskirts of Tokyo, the capital of Japan, then called Edo. His father died when he was about one year old. But he had left his son a hereditary ferry-boat license which provided a safe income. In contrast to so many other ukiyo-e artists like for instance Kuniyoshi Utagawa or his student Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, Kunisada never had to experience any financial hardships during his lifetime. The idea of a hereditary ferry-boat license seems strange to us today. You must know that the Japanese society of the Edo period (1603-1868) was extremely rigid. Your place in life was defined by your birth. If you were born as the son of a farmer, your destiny was to be a farmer for your whole life. Another example was the samurai warrior class. You could not become a samurai. You were born as a samurai.

19th Century pastoral landscape oil on canvas. Golden age, old master influenced painting depicting a shepherd with his sheep and a cottage. Signed Wayland, lower right. Wax Relined and presented in an intentionally distressed gold wood frame. Image size, 16 x 20 overall framed size 24.5ʺW × 2.5ʺD × 20.5ʺH.

Lantaka a 18th century cast bronze SWIVEL-CANNON “Rail Gun” or “Deck Cannon” solid bronze beautiful details measuring approximately 36 inches long. These cannon were used by the legendary Malay pirates, with small cannon-balls it was a powerful offensive weapon. Lantakas were manufactured during the 17th and early 18th century in Holland by Dutch East India Company for export to Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. Later in the 18th century most of them were cast in Indonesia by Dutch colonists and also by local people. Since the bronze cannons were very expensive they become a symbol of wealth and a form of currency; in fact the more cannon a man owns the greater his wealth.

Beautiful original antique oil painting of a mountain sunset and waterfall by William Keith c.1890 oil on artist panel signed lower left. Presented in a quality contemporary gallery frame 16.5ʺW × 3ʺD × 19ʺH. Good antique condition very fine age craquelure very minor touch ups.. Biography: A native of Scotland, William Keith became in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a leading Northern-California landscape artist. In fact, he was so well known that he is referred to as the "Dean of California painters." His romanticized views of nature found much favor among the culturally aspiring citizens of San Francisco and hung in many foyers and dining rooms in their elegant homes. He completed thousands of paintings and drawings, and many of them were lost in his studio in the fire of 1906. His early works are dramatic mountainscapes in a realistic style adopted from the Dusseldorf School of Germany. The paintings of the last two decades of his life are looser and obviously influenced by his exposure in France to the Barbizon School of landscape painters, who were the first colony of painters to complete paintings "en plein air," or directly from nature rather than in studios. A forerunner of Impressionism, this style also included Tonalism espoused by Barbizon painter Camille Corot [1796-1875] and also apparent in Keith's later works, which are darker, smaller, and much more intimate with emphasis on mood. He married artist Elizabeth Emerson and did watercolor painting with her guidance. In 1868, he became a full-time painter, and that same year was commissioned to paint scenes along the Columbia River including Mount Hood. By August 1869 he had sold enough paintings to finance an extended journey to the East Coast and Europe including Dusseldorf, Germany throughout most of 1870, studying with Albert Flamm. After a visit to Paris, he expressed great admiration for "the modern school of French landscape painting including the Barbizon School. During the winter of 1871-1872, the Keiths lived in Boston where they shared a studio with William Hahn. Keith's work received critical acclaim there and in New York at the National Academy of Design. In 1872, he returned to San Francisco. A friendship with naturalist John Muir exposed Keith to many remote places and in-depth knowledge of nature. During the 1870s, he painted several "epic" eight by ten-foot High Sierra views. He also visited Alaska, and his paintings of Alaska were exhibited upon his return to San Francisco in a show at the Bohemian Club, titled 'Dreams of Alaska'. Keith's Alaska works are significant because they are not close transcriptions of actual scenery, but rather are fantasies inspired by Alaska. They are important as they represent a major break from the documentary tradition in landscape painting of Alaska, as they show an interest in capturing its spirit versus just the topography. In 1891, he shared his studio for several weeks with East Coast Tonalist George Inness, Sr. [1825-1894]. Both men painted in a similar style and were followers of the mystical teachings of Swedenborg. Among the locations where Inness and Keith painted together were Monterey and Yosemite, and it was reported they discussed art from every possible angle. Under Inness' influence, Keith painted more than ever in a Barbizon-influenced vein with many sunset and twilight scenes. By the early 1900s, Keith was likely one of the wealthiest artists in the United States and certainly earned the most money of any California-based artist. People from all over the world sought out his studio where it was said that he would specially select a painting for a client from behind a black velvet curtain, order everyone to be quiet, part the curtains, and set the work on a easel, flooded in light. It was unthinkable not to buy a painting on these occasions. Many of his paintings were shown in New York at the Macbeth Gallery, and in 1898, he had a special exhibition in New York. Keith died April 13, 1911, and his work is in most of the institutions representing major California artists

A beautiful antique oil painting by T. Walter of a French landscape titled "Autumn in the Ccvennes" a mountain range in the south central France. 19th century signed lower left oil on canvas. Presented in a the original magnificent antique gold leaf frame. Frame 39.5 X 34.25 canvas size 28.75 X 22 in

A beautiful antique oil painting of a Girl in a bonnet Holding a Flower Basket. Early 19th century English oil on canvas in original antique frame. Overall size 32ʺW × 2ʺD × 41ʺH in good antique condition minor imperfections commensurate of age.

Pair of original antique botanical Fern lithographs prints circa 1867. Edward J. Lowe’s Ferns: British and Exotic. this print was published in London by Groombridge & Sons in 1867. This work was one of the earliest works to concentrate solely on the subject of the fern. Lowe used his botanical expertise and money to produce this work. He hired A. F. Lydon as the artist for the work and Benjamin Fawcett created the lithograph plates. Presented archival matted and framed. overall size 12.5" x 15.5".

An original antique photograph of Auguste Rodin's marble statue of cupid. Taken by Rodin's personal photographer Henri Manuel signed by him and dedicated and signed by Auguste Rodin in 1913 with the inscription "With Homage and Respect to Madame E Henry Harryman. Mrs Harryman commissioned a marble bust of her husband by Auguste Rodin and this photograph was given as a gift to her. François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 1840 – 17 November 1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture Henri Manuel (24 April 1874, Paris – 11 September 1947, Neuilly-sur-Seine) was a Parisian photographer who served as the official photographer of the French government from 1914 to 1944. In 1900, Manuel opened a portrait studio in Paris with his brother Gaston, which specialised in portrait photography.[2] Manuel quickly became renowned as a photographer of people from the worlds of politics, art and sports, as well as a photographer of art and architecture. Provenance the photograph has the blind stamp of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art on the bottom right. Presented re mated in a archival matte and presented in a quality gallery frame overall size 13 x 17".

A beautiful pair of original 19th century antique oil paintings in the manner of George Henry Harlow renowned British portrait painter, 1787-1819]. Both Oil on canvas framed in later vintage gold frames. Both paintings have been professionally restored relined cleaned and re varnished. DIMENSIONS 8.5ʺW × 1.5ʺD × 10.5ʺH

A beautiful antique oak jewelry box with silver on copper mounted art nouveau decorative panels with cherubs having a bacchanal with wine and music and other design motifs and trims circa 1900. The box opens two a plush lined interior with two tiers one with divider and ring or pocket watch holder. Measuring 9.0" W x 5.0" H x 6.25" D in good antique condition minor age imperfections.

By Adolf Muller Crefeld (German 1863-1934) bronze art deco statue of a dancer a beautiful form with great patina a beautiful marble base. measuring overall approx. 14 inches tall. excellent condition. Berlin. Literature:
 “Bronzes, sculptors and founders” by H. Berman, Abage. 
“The dictionary of sculptors in bronze” by James Mackay. Antique collectors club. 


Original drawing a portrait of a man possibly a self portrait by Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, signed monogram lower right. Best known as Balthus, a French painter in the second half of the 20th century, famous for his somewhat disturbing paintings of pubescent girls and for his association with some of the greats in modern art, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Balthus painted figures and landscapes in a more traditional style than his cubist and surrealist contemporaries, and throughout his career was supported primarily by other artists and dealers. He claimed to be a count, but he was also known to be a prankster who fabricated biographical details while keeping his real life story a mystery. Image site measures 8 x 10 Inches overall paper 11 x 17 inches. Minor staining top left. Provenance a private collection and Sotheby's lot 7767, Impressionist and Modern Art, New York, Thursday, February 21, 2002

Original pencil drawing a portrait of a man by Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, signed monogram lower right. Best known as Balthus, a French painter in the second half of the 20th century, famous for his somewhat disturbing paintings of pubescent girls and for his association with some of the greats in modern art, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Balthus painted figures and landscapes in a more traditional style than his cubist and surrealist contemporaries, and throughout his career was supported primarily by other artists and dealers. He claimed to be a count, but he was also known to be a prankster who fabricated biographical details while keeping his real life story a mystery. Image site measures 8 x 10 Inches overall paper 11 x 17 inches. Minor staining top left. Provenance a private collection and sold at Sotheby's lot 7767, Impressionist and Modern Art, New York, Thursday, February 21, 2002

This image of the Buddha is in a naturalistic style most probably prompted by colonial influences. It has been carved in wood, lacquered and gilded and inset with glass fragments backed with coloured foil (known as hman-zi- shwei-cha) and overlaid thayo work, a process whereby thin, rolled strands of lacquer and ash putty are applied in patterns. The image is in the Mandalay style and shows the Buddha seated in vajrasana, with his right hand gesturing to the earth in the bhumisparsa mudra position. It is probably the most characteristic form of religious sculpture in Burma (Lowry, 1974). The posture, known as 'calling the earth to witness', represents the moment when the Buddha was seated in meditation under the Bodhi tree during the evening before his enlightenment. Mara asked him to name anyone who would give evidence that he had given alms, and the Buddha motioned to the earth with his right hand and said that the earth would bear witness to that - in a previous incarnation when he was known as Vessantara, he had given alms to such an extent that the earth had begun to quake. The image shows the Buddha seated on a low platform or socle and dressed in ample robes with naturalistic folds and pleating. Earlier images of the Buddha across Southeast Asia tended to show the monastic robes in a much more schematic way. The eyes have been inlaid with a white material, usually described as mother-of-pearl, with black pupils probably painted on with black lacquer. The cranial protuberance (unisha) is rounded and the head decorated with tight curls in low relief. Unusually, the curls are arrayed in a pattern on the back of the head, rather than being in a more typical, somewhat random manner. The image has been lacquered with black lacquer and then gilded. Overall, the image is very sculptural and decorative: the naturalistic flow of the robes, and the refinement of the face, are particularly pleasing.37"T x 32"W x 24"D. In good antique condition some minor losses and age cracking.

A fine original Early California Landscape By Carl Jonnevold oil on canvas signed lower right in original frame and in excellent condition measuring approx. 12 x 16

Biography

Landscape painter. Born in Norway on June 1, 1856. Jonnevold came to the U.S. in the 1880s and is known to have painted in the Northwest before moving to California in 1887. Settling in San Francisco, he maintained a studio at 1617 California Street. He was a self-taught painter except for brief study in the galleries of Paris in 1908. While in France, he was influenced by the Barbizon painters and their dark palette. Returning to California, he continued to paint the beauty of northern California in the Barbizon style. Often working in late afternoon when shadow prevails, he produced hundreds of attractive tree and meadow scenes which he exhibited in local galleries. By the time of the stock market crash in 1929, Jonnevold was poverty stricken and living alone at his small studio at 560 Kearny Street. In that year he was sentenced to two months in jail for aiming a gun at his landlord. Jonnevold disappeared from San Francisco about 1930. A letter at the Oakland Museum gives his date of death as June 9, 1955 but no location. His works have gained renewed respect in recent years and are highly sought after by collectors. Exhibitions: Calif. State Fair, 1899-1902 (awards); Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1897; SFAA, 1908-12; Alaska-Yukon Expo (Seattle), 1909 (bronze medal); Kanst Gallery (LA), 1915. In: Oakland Museum; CHS; De Young Museum. Source: Edan Hughes,

Carl Milles Danish (1875-1955) Leaping Deer bronze sculpture. A fine example of this artists work. In excellent condition measuring 13 inches tall cast at Lrasmussen foundry Copenhagen. Carl Milles dominated the Swedish art world. He received many public commissions in Sweden and abroad. He was a monumental sculptor who received many public art commissions at a time when many cities expanded and were modernised.

An original oil painting on board by Cecil C. Bell signed lower center and on reverse. Measuring 22 x 30 inches. The painting of a New York nocturne featuring a Westside cowboy of the The New York central line. West Side Cowboys were employed by the City to ride in front of street-level freight trains and wave pedestrians out of the way. This was the City’s stopgap measure to stop the carnage on what was known as “Death Avenue.” The Cowboys were phased out after the High Line was built, raising train traffic to the third story of industrial buildings.

Biography

Bell was born in Seattle, WA in 1906, and he later moved to Staten Island, NY. It was in New York City where he found the inspiration for his work, the city and its people, focusing on daily life subjects. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League with John Sloan. Exhibition venues include the Corcoran Gallery, Museum of Modern Art and the Tacoma Art Museum.

A beautiful colorful post impressionist oil painting by Charles Camoin (1879 - 1965). Oil on canvas signed lower right and noted painted in Paris. Born in Marseille in 1879, Camoin studied firstly in his home city before moving to Paris in the 1890s to study under the influential and controversial Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Here he met some of the artists who would go on to define French painting in the early part of the 20th century, including Henri Matisse, Albert Marquet, Henri Manguin, Andre Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck. However, it was a move to the south of France in 1900 which was instrumental in defining Camoin's artistic career. Following in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Gauguin, he painted many of the places that they had frequented and, moving to Aix-en- Provence, he met Cezanne whose influence was key in developing Camoin's colourist style.

Charles François Daubigny landscape oil on panel signed lower left presented in a quality gold leaf frame. Panel measures 10.5"W x 7.75"H. overall framed size 16.0" W x 13.0" H x 2.5" D A French landscapist of the Barbizon School, Charles-Francois Daubigny was born in 1817 in Paris. In 1835, having received a small scholarship, he went to Italy, where he spent an unproductive year. He earned a living by doing engravings for books and regularly sent to the Salon peaceful landscapes, painted in a highly detailed style, with great respect for nature.

An exqusite example of antique Chinese furniture with intricate carving and elegant proportions and design. All hand made with the extremly rare and sought after huang hua li wood. In excellent condition.

A fine antique Chinese carved zitan wood Buddha or Bodhisattva Monk figure. Exquisite artistic finely carved details from one solid piece of Zitan wood the hardest of all woods very rare. Carved features as in the image of a carved bamboo stock Chinese date mark on reverse. Measuring 18.5 inches tall or 47 cm. A museum quality piece.

An original vintage Chinese ink painting of a Running Horse in the manner of Xu Beihong signed to the center right. Ink on a mottled colored paper presented matted and in a thin wood frame. Overall framed size 16.5" W x 23.5" H x 1.0" D. In good condition minor surface wear and very light crease to the paper. The most influential Chinese artist and art educator in twentieth-century China, Xu Beihong is widely known as the father of modern Chinese painting. Born into a poor family in 1895 in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, he learned Chinese classics and traditional Chinese painting from his father, a self-taught artist. Xu Beihong gained a government scholarship to study in France and attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts. Between 1919 and 1927, he studied sketching and oil painting in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. Returning to China in 1927, he successfully integrated Western painting methods and techniques with traditional Chinese painting in order to develop Chinese painting. He demonstrated two fundamental ways to improve Chinese painting: “focusing on human activities” and rejuvenating the tradition of “learning from nature.” His creative work and extensive teaching offered a new direction for Chinese artists and art educators. He was the first to systematically incorporate high-standard Western sketching from life and oil painting into the curricula at China’s major art institutions. From 1927 until his death in 1953, Xu Beihong trained several generations of students. Many became accomplished artists and leading art educators who have continued to influence Chinese art in the twenty-first century. Since 1954, more than 1200 of his original drawings, sketches, oils, and Chinese ink brush paintings have been kept and displayed by the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum in Beijing.

Claude Lacaze original oil painting on canvas of cubist nudes signed lower left. measuring Approximately 26 x 40 inches in excellent condition.

Biography

Lacaze was a painter who was heavily influenced by Cubism and Post-Cubism, particularly by fellow Bordeaux painters such as André L’Hote. He was born in Angoulême, Charente and studied at the Lycée Montaigne in Bordeaux and it was there, under an inspirational art master, that his desire to be an artist was initiated. He enrolled at L’École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux and studied under André Edouard Marty. At first, his style was decidedly Cubist, showing the influence of Picasso through the aforementioned L’Hote. However he softened the linear effect somewhat as his career developed and this is particularly apparent in his paintings of nudes. He staged his first solo exhibition in Paris in Rue Visconti quite soon after leaving art school. He also exhibited through his career at other locations in Paris, his home city of Bordeaux, Sainte Maxine, Angoulême and Périgueux but he seems not to have had a particularly commercial attitude to his work apparently sometimes not even turning up to the opening nights. Lacaze was appointed Professor of Fine Art at Collège de Puyguillen and also joined the artistic group Maison des Artistes. Exhibitions:  Paris, Galerie Visconiti; Périgueux, N.T.P.; Angoulême, Galerie Tison d’Argence; Bordeaux, Galerie du Loup; Sainte Maxine, Galerie L’Oleil Fauve. The Musée des Beaux Arts de Bordeaux also exhibited his work.

Claude Lacaze original oil on panel cubist nudes by the sea signed lower left. measuring Approximately 20 x 30 inches in excellent condition.

Biography

Lacaze was a painter who was heavily influenced by Cubism and Post-Cubism, particularly by fellow Bordeaux painters such as André L’Hote. He was born in Angoulême, Charente and studied at the Lycée Montaigne in Bordeaux and it was there, under an inspirational art master, that his desire to be an artist was initiated. He enrolled at L’École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux and studied under André Edouard Marty. At first, his style was decidedly Cubist, showing the influence of Picasso through the aforementioned L’Hote. However he softened the linear effect somewhat as his career developed and this is particularly apparent in his paintings of nudes. He staged his first solo exhibition in Paris in Rue Visconti quite soon after leaving art school. He also exhibited through his career at other locations in Paris, his home city of Bordeaux, Sainte Maxine, Angoulême and Périgueux but he seems not to have had a particularly commercial attitude to his work apparently sometimes not even turning up to the opening nights. Lacaze was appointed Professor of Fine Art at Collège de Puyguillen and also joined the artistic group Maison des Artistes. Exhibitions:  Paris, Galerie Visconiti; Périgueux, N.T.P.; Angoulême, Galerie Tison d’Argence; Bordeaux, Galerie du Loup; Sainte Maxine, Galerie L’Oleil Fauve. The Musée des Beaux Arts de Bordeaux also exhibited his work.

A beautiful original oil painting a view of Windsor Castle c.1920. Oil on canvas signed lower left with two exhibit labels on the reverse from New York exhibitions c.1930 the artists Santa Barbara address and shipping label as well. In very fine all original condition in original frame measuring approx. 25 x 32inches framed 32.5 x 39.5 . A fine museum quality painting would be a fine addition to any collection. BIOGRAPHY A resident and distinguished impressionist painter of both the East and West Coasts, Colin Campbell Cooper earned an international reputation with his depictions of landscapes, florals, portraits, gardens, interiors and figures. He was especially noted for street scenes and skyscrapers of New York and Philadelphia, and his impressionist palette was inspired by Childe Hassam, whom he met in New York beginning in the 1890s. In the later part of his life, he focused on West Coast subject matter and espoused "The California Style" of watercolor painting, a bold, aggressive new oil-painting look to a medium that had traditionally been used more modestly. He was born in Philadelphia to an upper class family where the father was a surgeon, and he, the son, was encouraged by his educated family to pursue art. He was also inspired by the art he saw at the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Thomas Eakins and in Paris at the Academies Julian, Vitti, and Delecluse. During that time, he traveled throughout Europe and painted picturesque architectural scenes, which gained him widespread recognition. Sadly many of these paintings were lost in a fire of 1896. From 1895 to 1898, he was instructor of watercolor at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia and then moved to New York City from where he and his artist wife, Emma Lampert, traveled throughout the world in search of subject matter. They first went to California in 1915, spending the winter in Los Angeles and in 1921, settled in Santa Barbara, where he served as Dean of Painting at the Santa Barbara Community School of Arts. He was a member of numerous associations including the California Art Club, Salmagundi Club, and the National Academy of Design. His work is in many museums including the Cincinnati Art Museum, the St. Louis Museum, and the Oakland Museum. Cooper died in Santa Barbara. Sources: Edan Hughes, Artists in California, 1786-1940

David Cox Original oil painting 1844 signed lower right titled on reverse Manorbier Castle South Wales. Oil on board measuring approx. 30 x 40 inches. Biography

David Cox was an English landscape painter, one of the most important members of the Birmingham School of landscape artists and an early precursor of impressionism.

English 19th century burl walnut highboy in 18th C Georgian style. Elegant queen Anne carved legs on the base. Cross banded drawers and pullout lined folding shelf or press. Hand made brass pulls dove tail construction some 20th century refurbishing to drawer runners.

Modernist landscape Marsh series #1 by Ernest Garthwaite. Acrylic on paper measuring 22"w x 30"H.

Biography

Ernest Garthwaite was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1940. He studied at Loras College in Iowa, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 1961, and at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, receiving his Master of Arts in 1962. He subsequently studied in Europe (including in Italy, Germany, and France) and at the University of Wisconsin in 1964 and the Art Students' League of New York in 1966. Garthwaite's work is represented in over 75 collections, including the Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery, New Rochelle Public Library, Art Gallery of Windsor, Bank of Montreal, Concordia University (Montreal), Marymount College (New York), Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (Banff), and York College of the City University of New York.

Original etching Gothic Interior Suffolk England by Valerie Thornton, British 1931-1991. Signed lower right. Thornton a painter and printmaker. In the1960s she lived in New York working at Pratt Graphics Art Center. Member Royal Society of Painters-Etchers and Engravers. Her work is in the collections of the Royal Academy, Victoria and Albert Museum, British Museum, Tate Gallery, Fitzwilliam Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, New York Public Library. Image 26"L x 16.5"W. Framed 38" L x 28" W

Original vintage expressionist etching print titled "Garden of no Tomorrows" numbered9/15 signed titled circa 1964 by Sylvia T Gavurin. Printed on quality wove paper archival matted and framed in a contemporary gold frame overall size 25ʺW × 1ʺD × 19ʺH Sylvia T Gavurin (1911 - 2002) was a Los Angeles based artist best known for her printmaking she showed in local exhibits her work is held in several private collections. In the 1940s Sylvia Gavurin was a court stenogrepher for the military. She was assigned to record the trials at Dachau Germany. This had a profound affect on her life and was a influence in her art work. This is an example of her work expressing the holocaust.

A vintage 1965 Fender Mustang guitar all original in very good condition with original case. Some minor scratches and wear. Plays great sounds great a classic instrument.

One of the rarest colors ever on an American Standard Stratocaster "Razz Berry", which made its only appearance in the Oct 1 88 price list, and was dropped by the time the '89 price list was printed. Also noteworthy, this finish wasn't available on the American Standard Strat, only the "Plus" model, but was fairly common on the HM Strat from this era. The Plus model first appeared in 1987, within a year of the first American Standards, the earliest was Nov '86. Many people incorrectly identify these as 1984 models due to the "E4xxxxx" serial numbers. The fact is, the only American Strats being produced in '84, '85, and most of '86 were the USA Vintage Series, which had the serial number on the neck plate. Any "E4" serial number you come across is an late '86 at best, but most are '87 and '88, and even a few '89's. The Plus was a souped up American Standard, with an $849 retail price that was $200 higher. It has a bunch of upgraded parts, most notably a trio of gold Lace Sensor pickups, which produce almost no hum and are non-magnetic which means no magnetic string pull and, thus, longer sustain. Another innovation is the TBX (Tone Bass Expander) control for the middle/neck pickups which looks like a regular tone knob but underneath the guard it's a stacked pot - with a center detent, it works like a tone control from "5" to "1", and TBX from "6" to "10". You'll notice the headstock which has the bold silver logo of the era but...no string trees, which aren't necessary due to the staggered height Sperzel tuners. The Sperzels are excellent tuners and unlike vintage tuners you don't need to wrap the string around the tree. Just insert the string through the tuner post and cut it as close as you want - once you screw down the back it's locked into place and usually tunes to pitch in around 1/4th revolution of the post. Another innovative feature is the "tilt adjust" neck, in use since the early 70's, with access through the neck plate. With an Allen wrench you can adjust the neck angle; a great improvement removing the neck repeatedly until you find a shim with the perfect thickness. In place of the stock nut this model used an Wilkinson roller nut (later models used an LSR with bearings) which reduces friction over the nut and helps maintain tuning stability. This model is outfitted with the Schaller locking strap pins, which made their debut with the '83 Strat Elite. Although not used in 1988, later models also included a "Tremsetter" inside the trem cavity, which is a spring-loaded device that prevents de-tuning if you break a string. About this guitar: Extremely clean - a true closet classic that looks like it was played for a month or two and then put away. The frets are as clean as the day they left the factory. There are no buckle scratches and no major flaws anywhere. I would rate it around an easy 9.5 since it's amazingly clean. Also, at 7.6 lbs., it's definitely on the light side for an American Standard era ('86 - '99). If you're a collector of different colored Strats, the most rare are Tanqueray Tonic, Graffiti Yellow, and Razz Berry this would be a valuable Stratocaster in any condition due to the rarity. Includes case and trem arm

A beautiful original 18th century drawing of a woman gazing upward Attributed to Francois Boucher measuring 24.5 x 31 cm. on wove paper mounted at corners to matte board. A beautiful drawing would be a fine addition to any collection.

Biography

François Boucher (September 29, 1703 - May 30, 1770) was a French painter, a proponent of Rococo taste, known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories representing the arts or pastoral occupations, and intended as a sort of two-dimensional furniture. He also painted several portraits of his illustrious patroness, Madame de Pompadour. Born in Paris, the son of a lace designer Nicolas Boucher, François Boucher was perhaps the most celebrated decorative artist of the 18th century, with most of his work reflecting the Rococo style. At the young age of 17, Boucher was apprenticed by his father to François Lemoyne, however after only 3 months he went to work for the engraver Jean-François Cars. Within 3 years Boucher had already won the elite Grand Prix de Rome, although he did not take up the consequential opportunity to study in Italy until 4 years later. On his return from studying in Italy in 1731, he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture as a historical painter, and became a faculty member in 1734.

Fredric Schafer classic view of Yosemite from inspiration point. # 7 in the Schafer Catalog. Oil on canvas approx. 26 x 36.

biography

Born in Braunschweig, Germany on Aug. 16, 1839. Schafer may have studied art in Düsseldorf since his paintings resemble those of other Düsseldorf-trained artists; however, he is believed to have been self-taught. He came to the U.S. in 1876 and arrived in San Francisco in 1880. After establishing a studio, he began exhibiting regularly with the local art association and the Mechanics' Institute Fairs. A peripatetic painter, he made regular sketching trips throughout the Northwest including Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. During his last years he painted theatrical scenery in San Francisco and Oakland theaters. Schafer had a home in Oakland from 1880 until his death on July 18, 1927. His landscapes, which often include Indians, were mostly done before 1890 and number about 500. Due to alcoholism, his works are often uneven in quality. Exh: Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1879-84; Calif. State Fair, 1880, 1894. In: Oakland Museum; Seattle Museum; Monterey Peninsula Museum; Shasta State Historical Monument; Bancroft Library (UC Berkeley); CHS; Crocker Museum; Hoover Inst. (Palo Alto); Museum of Church History & Art (Salt Lake City); Society of Calif. Pioneers; Sonoma Co. Museum (Santa Rosa); Yosemite Museum; Alameda Public Library; Craigdarroch Castle (Victoria, B.C.) Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"

An original antique French Art Nouveau bronze statue of a glamorous woman by Georges Van der Straeten c.1905. Bronze mounted to a marble base signed on verso with the stamp medallion of Original Bronzes Society Paris France. Measurements 4.25ʺW × 3.25ʺD × 7.5ʺH. Georges Van der Straeten was a Belle Epoque sculptor born in Ghent, Belgium, on December 21, 1856. He studied under the Neo-Baroque sculptor Jef Lambeaux (1852-1908). In 1883, at the twenty-seven years old, Van der Straeten moved to Paris. While living in Paris he befriended Jean Marie Constantin Joseph "Jan" van Beers, a fellow painter and son of the Romantic poet Jan van Beers. He lived at 9 Hoche Avenue, Paris. Van der Straeten showed at his first Paris Salon in 1885 and continued to show until 1912. He won many awards for his work, including the silver medal at the 1900 World's Fair, Paris and a knight of the Legion of Honor in 1903. Van der Straeten's figures are detailed and inspired by the French artist Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) and similar in style to the Italian sculptor Emmanuel Villanis (1858-1914). The work is Art Nouveau with an emphasis on the figure. His works have been produced in large numbers by French foundries Paris Bronzes Society, Pinedo and by ceramsist Friedrich Goldscheider. The artist died in Ghent in 1928.