Featured Victorian Tiled Ebonised Shelf with Artists Sales Label on reverse

Hi guys!

Just bought this today. But I cant track down the name on the back, the label is in rough condition and its a shame almost half is missing. But are any suspects as to who this name could be. £4 16s 0d I think. Four pounds and sixteen shillings was a heck of a lot way back when, it looks like the 'professional' side of the label has been pencilled out making the artist an amateur at the time. Miss Louisa is the first name then Frish or Trish. Title is 'Mirror Frame ___ in Tiles'

I'll attach images in full below. Thanks for any help everyone

 

very nice..

 

It looks like it was labeled for an exhibition where some work was also for sale. I'm seeing a price of maybe 4 shillings? The field for pounds looks blank from here.

 

I love it! Can you repair the broken curve on the bottom left?

 

I bet it cant be that hard @Marie Forjan *he said hesitantly* haha.

And @daveydempsey, painted looks about right!

Might stay a mystery for now. If theres anyway to look at the back of the tile without destroying the thing I will but its unlikely think

 

The flowers are Japanese anemones, very nicely painted imo.

 

Whistler did The Peacock Room in 1877, so I would guess this dates to about then. (It was a fashion sensation.)

I would guess 'on tiles' rather than 'in'. Very accomplished for an amateur.

 

I'll make an argument for "Irish" as the possible surname. In addition to it being a viable surname, there is an example of both an upper case "T" and "F" on the remaining label and they both have a small hook at the bottom that's not evident on the initial letter of the surname.

Still looking, but if "Irish" is the surname, well, that complicates research.

 

ooh ooh... I don't think that "r" is an "r"...

 

I may be on the right path...

 

I'm fairly certain that this is your artist:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98064340

Not a lot of info there, but a picture of her headstone.

More in a bit why I believe it's her.

 

But I don't see her name on the headstone anywhere?

 

Well, she's just about covered up by grass and dirt, but she's there.

---
Louisa Wish
birth: First Quarter 1855 in St Thomas, Devon
death: 6 JUL 1922 at Exeter, Devon, England

Keeping in mind this is all "quick and dirty" research:

There are a number of small articles about Miss Wish and her painting, amateur art exhibits and the like. One, in 1881 says she is "of Alphington". Another, in 1884, says shes is from "Heavitree"...

The findagrave Louisa Wish (link above) is the only Louisa Wish I found who lived in both places. In the 1881 census, she has an Alphington address and in the 1891 census, she has a Heavitree address.

She never married, occupation was variously listed as "independent means" and "annuity dividends". I didn't research her ancestry far enough to know much else, but I will continue to poke around a bit.

 

I'll take your word for it. I can't get the picture to expand. Under Emma Ann?

 

On my phone, so this isn't the best work, but between the white lines.

 

Oh my god @Jivvy! This is crazy. I can't believe you managed to find all this. Thank you soooo. With some history cleared up the shelf is something I defontaley want to keep and know more about. Now to go back and read through all this again

 

Great job on the flowers @Houseful, you answered a question I was going to ask next haha

She won that contest! Out of all those people. £3 woukd have been a hell of a lot. It looks like she wasnt your regular amateur, she must has painted often. This is becoming a thing I'm going to love.

 

How did you find all that, my searches are coming up empty.