Featured HOMERUN?! HELP w/SIGNATURE ON OLD BLACK AMERICANA? FOLK ART? PAINTING

No way I'd sell on ebay. Just think about their return policy, the condition of your piece, the fact that the provenance is "thrift store", and the potential loss when ebay sides with the dissatisfied buyer.

 

Yep I agree; I lost something because I sold to a country ins didn't cover; but they didn't tell me until buyer said he never received it. The tracking followed it right to the country's border and then...nothing. And no proof it was delivered.

 

Perhaps he used a lighter hand adding onto a more heavily brush-stroked background - it really does look to have genuine age, perhaps poke around for close-ups of other pieces sold at auction and see if they show similar technique?

~Cheryl

 

There are White Star collectors... I sold a 1930s music program from one of their cruises on eBay a few years ago. It wasn't a high dollar item, but it did sell. A larger item might do nicely.

I also sold an interesting photo of an unknown African American man walking down a NYC street on eBay two years ago. I think I had posted a thread here to discuss it before listing? Ditto that it wasn't a high dollar item, but it sold quickly.

 

Googling William Aiken Walker, there are many reproductions of his work available. But I did not see your specific image. Others with the same cabin, but not with the same arrangement of figures. You could send photos to the major auction houses for assessment.

 

Just checked - Skinner has sold several of his paintings. $7500 - 22,000.

 

Hoping for the best for you, @journeymagazine !

 

Thank You i need help! (When I told my girlfriend what it may be she groaned! I asked her what was wrong & she said "You buy so may crap paintings as it is, can you imagine what you're going to be like after this?!"
She is right; I have over 150 stacked everywhere in a 4 bedroom house we are trying to empty so we can rent it, but I keep finding "home runs!" - that usually aren't!

Pat P here is the Cunard White Star piece I also got - looking under a magnifying glass it looks like pen & ink! (I know it's hard to tell; it has a layer of dust/dirt on glass) But, no signature that I can find.

 

That's a lovely image.

There have been print processes used in the 20th century that don't use a dot pattern, so it can be hard to tell sometimes if something's an original or not. Even if this isn't an original, I wouldn't be surprised if there were collectors who'd love to have this.

I can't see the detail well in the photos but have the impression the clothing styles are '30s or '40s.

 

SOMEtime the little gray cells do me proud!

Good luck, and let us know!

 

Oooooppssss.

 

Here is some info on the White Star image. Sig is Jarvis on the bottom left.

http://adventures-of-the-blackgang....unard-white-star-cruises-travel-poster-c-1936

 

And a reproduction print on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CUNARD-WHI...660451?hash=item56ae12e1a3:g:tA0AAOSwKhta4I2o

 

If its a original oil than good for you. I cant see any thick oil paint strokes. Instead i see thick lines crossing from one colour to another. I therefore would say thay the chance is big that its a print with thick layers of varnish to make it look like a real oil.

I also do not like the white scratches. There are a lot of them and all have the same color white, you would expect to see different colours of scratches in a original oil when the artist build up the layers of colours.

Do you see paint or paper under these scratches? Do you have a magnifier?

 

Possibly a print, but lack of "thick oil paint strokes" is not always an indicator. Thick paint strokes is more style of the artist than the medium.

This piece is on canvas (where you'll see more texture than when on board), but there still aren't thick strokes.

 

Gauguin is another painter who was known for his sparing use of paint. Probably out of (financial) necessity, but it worked well in his paintings.

 

Appraiser on ARS mentioned those same white marks on that painting as mine have & said it was to be expected on such an old painting.
I'll find out soon enough, but again as I said earlier, I looked at it with a magnifying glass and can see where there are areas (like women on porch's hats & the 2 round things on roof) where I can see/feel paint ridges(? is that the word?)
But I'll find out soon enough

 

say_it_slowly - my Cunard ad measures 7.25" x almost 12" (viewable area) and it does have the signature in lower left. But I can't see the fine print at lower edge; maybe matting is covering it?
Do you know what size original/vintage ones were?
Thank you!

 

My question is, would they have made a print on board back in the 1860s?
That frame appears to be original to the picture. I would say it is a mid 1800s frame.

 

Yook the cunard out into the sun; it's a print.
I also took the Walker painting out into the sun & it is a painting I'm sure.
Most notably there are 2 round yellow/gold balls or circles on roof + the lady sitting closest to stairs on porch with something beside her (or part of her dress?) & the ladies on the porch hats - all have stroke or ridges that I can see with a magnifying & feel.
I need to find a place to have them verify it's real. I called Skinner auctions because they are here in Miami & left a message - they say they will get back to me within 24 hours & hopefully then I can take it by there to verify it's real.