Featured Antique bowl! San Francisco

Hello everyone again! The painting is in Sweden but is supposed to be painted by George Leslie Hunter when he lived in San Fransico. He was only 18 then. We have had it submitted to a Gallery in Scotland and they think it may be an early work by the artist but since we have no provenance it is difficult to determine if it is genuine. They wondered if we could have a tree expert investigate if the frame around the canvas could be a tree species from America. The painting was purchased in the UK sometime in 1950-1960. My thought was also if you could find a similar dish as

 

L Hunter/95

 

Dunno, swear I read plate but I guess it was dish that threw me.

 

How interesting! What years would that have been?

Debora

 

Where does the (uncomfirmed) attribution to George Leslie Hunter come from?

Debora

 

He did work in the style (for a while.)

Debora

 

The Paintings sign L Hunter/95

 

The roses look like L' amour Des Roses which were popular in the USA in the late 1800s. No idea if they were available in San Francisco in 1895.

 

Would you be kind enough to post a close-up photograph of the artist's signature for us all to see?

Debora

 

Hope someone recognizes the painting and where it may have been purchased.
I'm sending an email that we received from the gallery (Scotland) who thinks it might be a work by him.

Dear Thomas and Carola Sundell,



We have examined your painting carefully and think that the painting could indeed be a rare and early example by George Leslie Hunter. Unfortunately it does need something else to confirm its authenticity. Provenance is an important part of authenticating pictures, and if it had a framing or exhibition label which linked it with Hunter’s early career it would be a huge help. We would not be in a position to help sell the painting in its current state. If it went to a Scottish auction house (Lyon & Turnbull for instance), they would likely catalogue the work as ‘attributed to’ George Leslie Hunter and have the estimate in the high hundreds or possibly low thousands. If you wanted further expertise one could test the wood in the stretcher. If is was American wood this would tie in with the history of Hunter’s early life.



I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you and sorry we have not been able to offer any further concrete evidence to help your cause. I have attached a shipping quote to have the painting returned to you.



Best wishes,

 

As I'm sure you know... Provenance is a difficult thing to establish. The painting itself provides few clues. You said the painting is in Sweden. Are you able to trace its ownership back? Have you contacted a Hunter expert? Someone who has assembled a catalogue raisoneé? Perhaps the authors of this recent book on Hunter. Sure they would be interested as a new/rediscovered work would fall within their area of scholarship.

Debora

 

Just so everyone can see, here is the painting:


The bowl doesn't have a flared rim, just as s-i-s and I thought. Not that it will help ascertain that the painting is indeed by George Leslie Hunter.