Catalog: Sold Items (421)

George Bacon Wood fishing dory on the beach oil on board signed lower left. This painting was exhibited at the Salmagundi Club in New York in 1897. In excellent condition measuring Approx. 7 x 9 with liner 8 x 10 inches. overall size 12 x 14. Biography, George B. Wood, Jr. was born into a Quaker family in Philadelphia on January 6, 1832. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Christian Schussele and probably saw the Exhibition of English Art there in February 1858. The exhibition laid out the work of those English painters that were following the precepts of the English painter and critic, John Ruskin. Wood as well as many of his contemporaries from Philadelphia were deeply influenced by the Ruskinian ideal and began to paint according to the precepts of "Truth in Art". Wood's neighbor and friend in Germantown, Pennsylvania, William Trost Richards, was one of the leaders of the movement and probably encouraged Wood to paint to this heightened perception of physical reality. Wood began exhibiting at the Pennsylvania Academy as early as 1858 and at the National Academy of Design by 1861. The American Ruskinians organized by 1863 with a house organ called The New Path, which was published from 1863 to 1865. His artist friends and their writings probably led to Wood's acceptance of the style and ideals of Ruskinian painting. Wood spent the Civil War years painting mainly in the area surrounding Philadelphia, but judging from the titles of his paintings, he also took a few longer trips. In 1866 he rented a studio in central Philadelphia, and the following year he moved downtown. At about this time he began summering (and even spending an occasional winter in the early 1870s) in the Adirondacks near Elizabethtown, New York. By 1870 he was married and well established as an artist. Wood exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy from 1858 to 1869 and again from 1876 to 1887. He also exhibited at the National Academy of Design from 1861 to 1885 and the Brooklyn Academy of Art in 1886. A member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club and the Philadelphia Artists' Fund Society, he was generally part of the artist community in that city. By the seventies, Wood had turned from landscapes to documenting Philadelphia streets and interiors, but at the end of the decade added photography to his arts. In 1883 Wood traveled abroad, recording the sights in carefully rendered watercolors. Some of these sketches served as sources for later, more highly finished work he submitted to the Pennsylvania Academy in 1884 and 1887.

A fine California Impressionist painting of a view of Mt. Tam with lupine and poppies in the fore ground a small cabin to the left. Oil on canvas signed lower right measuring Approx. 15 x 20 inches in excellent condition but for some age cracking. Biography : Manuel Valencia was born in Marin County, California on October 30, 1856 on the family hacienda called Rancho San Jose, which is now Hamilton Field. A member of one of California's earliest families, Manuel was named after his grandfather who came to California with the Anza Party in 1774 and became administrator of the Presidio in San Francisco. The Valencia’s were given many land grants in the San Francisco Bay area and a street near Mission Dolores is named in honor of his family. Manuel attended Santa Clara College and then established a studio in San Francisco. He began painting when he was quite young and remained a self-taught artist except for a few lessons with Jules Tavernier locally and in Mexico City. The earthquake and subsequent fires in 1906 caused the Valencia’s to move down the peninsula to San Jose, however he commuted daily to his San Francisco studio and worked as a staff artist for the "San Francisco Chronicle" and as an illustrator for the Salvation Army Newspaper. A prolific painter, Valencia is best known for his landscapes and historic scenes of Northern California, which often included nocturnal adobes, missions and pueblos. Following an operation, he died in Sacramento on July 6, 1935. His ashes were scattered on Mount Tamalpais. Source: Edan Hughes, Artists in California, 1786-1940

A beautiful ethereal Laguna beach seascape at sunset with incredible tonality and use of light. Oil on board signed lower left and dated 1956 measuring 12 x 16 inches and framed in a quality gallery frame measuring overall 20 x 24 inches in excellent condition. A fine example of this remarkable American Artists work.

Biography

A painter of realistic landscapes reflecting a vanishing wilderness in America, Robert Wood (not to be confused with Robert E Wood) is reportedly one of the most mass-produced artists in the United States. His painting became so popular he was unable to meet all of the demands, and many of his works were reproduced in lithographs and mass distributed as prints, place mats, and wall murals by companies including Sears, Roebuck. He was born in Sandgate, Kent on the south coast of England near Dover, the son of W.L. Wood, a famous home and church painter who recognized and supported his son's talent. In fact, he forced his son to paint by keeping him inside to paint rather than playing with his friends. At age 12, Wood entered the South Kensington School of Art. As a youth, he came to the United States in 1910, having served in the Royal Army, and he never returned to England. He traveled extensively all over the United States, especially in the West, often in freight cars, and also painted in Mexico and Canada. His itinerant existence took him to Illinois where he worked as a farmhand, to Pensacola, Florida where he married, briefly in Ohion, Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. In 1912, he was in Los Angeles, and In the late 1920s and early 1930s, in San Antonio, Texas, where he lived and in 1928 exhibited in the "Texas Wildflower Competition." From San Antonio, he gained a national reputation for his strong colored, dramatic paintings. Some of that prestige has been credited to his asssociation with Jose Arpa, prominent Texas artist. Wood also gave art lessons, and one of his students was Porfirio Salinas. During this period, Wood sometimes signed his paintings G. Day or Trebor, which is Robert spelled backwards. In 1941 he went to California and painted numerous desert and mountain landscapes and coastal scenes. He lived in Carmel for seven years, and then moved to Woodstock, New York, but he soon returned to California, settling first in Laguna Beach, then San Diego, and finally in the High Sierras, where he and his wife built a home and studio near Bishop and lived until his death in 1979.

Fine porcelain large bowl or charger scalloped rim form with beautiful transfer ware design of cherry blossoms. Circa 1900 in excellent condition some minor firing flaws to the underside rim, measuring approx. 12 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. A beautiful decorative piece would make a nice addition to any interior.

A original oil painting of the The Copenhagen (København) was a Danish sailtraining vessel rigged as a five-masted steel auxiliary barque(1921–1929). It was, according to Alan Villiers, the largest and finest sailing vessel in the world at the time it vanished. Oil on canvas signed lower right indistinctly and titled measuring 17 X 25 image framed size approx. 23 X 31. In good antique condition some age cracking. A nice historical decorative painting.

Chinese export Canton porcelain platter circa 1840. A large and beautifully hand painted decorated example in excellent condition no chips cracks repairs etc. some minor glaze flaws bubbles on edge. Measuring approx. 19.5 inches by 16 inches.

Fine antique portrait of a Thoroughbred race horse at the race track. Oil on canvas signed lower left Hillyard and dated 1894. Hillyard is a listed artist known for animal subjects. Measuring approx. 20x24 inches framed size 26x30 inches in excellent condition two very minor professional repairs to the canvas and minor stretcher lines showing. A beautiful antique equestrian painting would be a nice addition to any interior.

A Beautiful and rare Song Dynasty 960-1279 A.D. Celadon tea bowl of very delicate form featuring intricate designs of dancing boys and vines. Measuring Approx. 4.5 inches by 2 inches 12 x 5 cm. in very fine condition to chips or cracks. A museum quality example.

Julian Walbridge Rix early California landscape oil on wood panel scene of Marin county landscape looking toward Mt. Tamalpias and San Francisco bay. Measuring approx. 10.5 in. by 13 in. framed in a ornate gilt frame 18 in. by 20 in. overall. A fine example of this renowned artists work.

biography

Known for poetic landscapes, often sunset, illuminated by atmospheric light, Julian Walbridge Rix was early in his career an active painter in California and then on the East Coast. He was born in Peacham, Vermont on December 30, 1850 and moved with his family to San Francisco in 1853. Because of his mother's death, he went back to Peacham four years later to live with his grandmother and graduating from Peacham Academy in 1868. He returned to San Francisco where he was apprenticed to a trading firm and later worked in a paint store painting signs and doing decorative work. Primarily self-taught, he was briefly a pupil of Virgil Williams at the School of Design. He became close friends with Amédée Joullin and Jules Tavernier, and when the latter established an art colony in Monterey in 1876, Rix was one of the "Bohemians" who followed him there. His studio in Monterey was in the French Hotel, but in 1879 he returned to San Francisco and shared a studio with Tavernier at 729 Montgomery Street. The art market in San Francisco during this period was not a healthy one which prompted Rix to move to Paterson, New Jersey in 1880 and subsequently establish a studio in New York City. This milieu was what he seemed to need to find artistic success. His work was exhibited at the National Academy of Design during the 1880s. He studied art briefly in Europe during 1889 and upon his return, he found that his watercolor and oil paintings were in great demand in the East. He maintained an active interest and participation in the San Francisco art scene and in 1883 sent back 200 paintings for a successful solo show. In 1888 his illustrations appeared in "Picturesque California." Rix returned to California for several months in 1901 and painted the valleys and mountains near Monterey and Santa Barbara. A handsome man with a New England accent and blond sideburns, he never married and was called the Adonis of the profession. Following a kidney operation, Rix died in New York City on November 24, 1903 and was buried in the cemetery plot of a patron-friend in Paterson, New Jersey. Source: "Artists in California, 1786 to 1940" by Edan Milton Hughes

A beautiful African carved ivory figure of a seated female and child west Africa with beautiful patina measuring approx. 12.5 inches in length. A fine investment quality antique.

A fine antique Japanese Ivory Netsuke of a Buddha and a Shishi or Foo lion by his side. Meiji era circa 1890 in very nice condition some wear and a very nice patina. Measuring 4 centimeters or 1 3/4 inches tall. A very fine example.

Ming Dynasty porcelain wine storage jar with hand painted dragon motif. A large vessel in very good antique condition. Measuring approx. 14 inches tall and 10 inches at widest point.

Chinese Imperial yellow porcelain censer with frogs on lid and elephant handles. The pierced lid setting on a rounded form bowl on tripod legs impressed mark Daoguang period 1821-1850. In excellent condition no damage a fine addition to any collection.

Chinese Ivory carved reclining beauty or doctors model circa 1900 measuring approx. 6.5 inches in length 16.5 cm. In excellent condition yellowing from age this piece would make a fine addition to any Ivory collection.

A fine antique Chinese export porcelain bowl circa from the late 18th to early 19th century. Featuring Hand painted decorations of Mandarin figures with a floral sprig in the center of the bowl. In excellent condition with no chips or cracks etc. measuring approx. 9 inches in diameter and 4 inches tall or 23 x 10 cm. A fine example would be a nice addition to any collection.

A fine Chinese Antique song dynasty pottery vase beautiful form with foo dog and frog decorations looped two handle neck. Measuring 6 in. or 15 cm tall in excellent antique condition wear to the glaze from age.

A fine Pennsylvania Dutch painted document box belonging to Susanna Lengweiler dated 1839. All original paint and lock and key this box is in excellent condition measuring 11.5 x 8 x 4.5 inches. A very fine and rare example of Americana.

A beautiful quality original watercolor marine painting of ships off the coast and braking waves by george howell gay signed lower right. Painted on a heavy watercolor paper laid on matte board measuring approx. 14 x24 inches framed in a quality gold leafed frame. In very good condition no tears or creases some areas of age discoloration and fading typical with watercolors of this age please view pictures.

biography

george h. Gay was well known for his watercolor landscapes, seascapes and paintings of rivers and ships, mostly along the shores of new england. Gay also painted snowscapes, but these are scarcer. It is unusual to find an oil painting by this artist, as he worked mainly in watercolor. Some of his works display a tonalist aesthetic. He was born in milwaukee, wisconsin on july 2, 1858, and lived in chicago and then in 1889, settled in bronxville, new york. Gay was a pupil of paul brown and henry elkins in chicago. He is known to have exhibited at the national academy of design in 1890; boston art club, 1890-1900; and boston art club, 1897. Shortly before his death in 1931, george gay's address in 1929 was known to be 100 kraft ave., bronxville, ny.