Flea Market Painting Find

This is probably an early work??

 

I think I'd send an inquiry to Skinner.

 

On the “two cow painting”. This looks to be perhaps a signature?

 

I'd say a copy but a good one. The signatures are kind of a red flag. They are slightly off.

 

Don't see a signature on the cow painting. Need to take it out if the frame to see

 

I don't see a signature...

 

Here is a better pic. Just a few red lines.

 

I can't make anything out of the red lines, but can you take a better picture of the area I've highlighted below? I feel like I've been staring at clouds for too long and doubt anything will come of it, but a picture straight on with no glare (natural light/outside is probably best) would be worth a look.

 

I will take another photo tomorrow when the sun comes back out. This painting I find quite interesting and seems to have quite a bit of age. The board panel that the painting is on looks old. Can’t figure out the ethnicity of the image of the person as well. Any thoughts?

 

Just for grins, try to get a straight on shot of the area below as well.

Again, probably nothing there.

 

Is the back I highlighted for the 2-Cows or the 3-Oxen picture?

 

Well I pulled the paintin g out of the frame and this is what I found for a signature. Looks like it was painted by James W. ?????? from Salem. Hoping someone can decipher the last name.

 

Which painting is this one?

I see James W Arendt

 

This is the two cow painting

 

I thought maybe 2nd letter is an “r”

 

Although 2 letter could be a “v” as well.

 

Sorry if you've mentioned before -- where was this painting located (geographically, not type of shop)? May not mean anything, but good to know.

 

Please note that the following is taken from a business directory and "PAINTERS" likely means people who would paint your home, not your portrait.

It would still be good to know where this piece was found. No convincing argument that any of my suggestions mean anything other than crazy-random-happenstance.

EDIT TO ADD: There are a many towns named "SALEM" just in the USA.

 

I think Averill is a better fit than Arendt, no cross marks for a t and no circle for a d.

 

The painting was purchased in Central Pennsylvania