American Furniture & Decorative Arts

595. British School, 18th Century

Portrait of a Lady Wearing a Blue Gown. Unsigned, bears a
Chelsea, England, framer’s label and a Shreve, Boston, retailer’s label
on the verso. Pastel on paper, sight size 20 1/4 x 14 3/4 in., in a
period frame. Condition: Repaired tears and losses along upper and
lower edges and into background u.r., not examined out of frame.
$600-800

596. Italian/American School, 19th Century

Portrait of a Gentleman Holding a Letter, c. 1825. Unsigned. Oil
on canvas, the subject, possibly a sea captain, wearing a blue coat
with brass buttons, holds a letter written in Italian indistinctly inscribed
“----Sig. Michelangelo-incredi/Naples,” 29 x 24 in., in a period molded
giltwood frame. Condition: Relined, craquelure with scattered paint
loss, retouch to subject and background.
$800-1,200

597. American School, 19th Century

Portrait of a Girl Wearing a Red Dress and Holding a Small
Bouquet of Flowers, c. 1835. Unsigned. Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 in.,
in a period molded wood frame with gilt liner. Condition: Scattered
paint losses, craquelure, small nail puncture l.l., surface grime.

Provenance: This portrait is possibly of a child with the last name of
Blaisdell, and was reportedly painted in Winchester, Massachusetts, by
a wheelwright who was repairing a wagon at the family farm.
$500-700

598.

American School, 19th Century

Portrait of a Woman Wearing a White Bonnet and Black Dress

Holding a Book. Unsigned. Oil on canvas, 34 x 27 in., unframed.

Condition: Relined, scratch u.c., stable craquelure, minor retouch to

c.r. background.

$500-700

599.

American School, 19th Century

Arctic Whaling Scene. Initialed and dated indistinctly “FK 188-” l.l. Oil

on canvas, 18 x 24 in., in a gilded and molded wood frame. Condition:

Very good, minor retouch to background sky.

Note: The verso bears the stamp of the firm of Schwab & Breese,

624 Market Street, San Francisco (a frame shop located in this city

in the 1880s). The scene is thought to be in the western Arctic,

depicting indigenous whaling as the whale has been dragged ashore

and appropriately costumed figures with their sled dogs are portrayed

processing the whale and attending to their daily tasks. A full-rigged

ship in the background does not appear to be involved in the taking

of the whale, as it does not carry the covered mast hoops that were

common on Arctic whaling ships.

$8,000-12,000

online bidding at http://www.skinnerinc.com 121